KABUL, Nov 22: Afghan President Hamid Karzai and the NATO chief led strong criticism on Thursday of a European think-tank report that said the Taliban were installed in more than half of Afghanistan.

Nato Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said The Senlis Council report released on Wednesday “should not be considered as realistic”. “Of course there are parts of Afghanistan where the going is tough from time to time,” he told reporters after talks with Karzai. “We all know that ...and we all know that Nato forces are in combat in certain parts of Afghanistan.” But he added: “The analysis the council makes on the situation in Afghanistan, I simply do not share.” The report called for Nato’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to be doubled in size to 80,000, saying a study had found that 54 per cent of Afghan territory had a permanent Taliban presence.

Isaf spokesman Brigadier General Carlos Branco said it was unclear where this figure came from. “We have shortfalls and more troops would be most welcome,” he told AFP.

But, “We have not identified a need for 80,000 troops,” he said, labelling the report “sensationalist”.

Karzai was also dismissive, saying there had been clear progress in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban government.

“There are certain areas in southern parts of Afghanistan, especially close to our border with Pakistan, that see attacks from some of the Taliban elements from time to time,” he said.

—AFP