Strikes to continue in Ramazan: US envoy

Published October 30, 2001

MUMBAI, Oct 29: The US military strikes on Afghanistan are likely to continue through Ramazan, US Ambassador to India Robert Blackwill said here on Monday.

“It is... felt that if the attacks are reduced during Ramazan, it will provide an opportunity to the Taliban to boost their military strength,” Blackwill said at a press conference.

Blackwill said the strikes would continue until the “entire infrastructure and network” of Taliban and the Al Qaeda network were destroyed.

The ambassador added it was up to the people of Afghanistan to decide the formation of a future government.

“The US will not decide who will rule Afghanistan after the Taliban. It will be the people of Afghanistan who will decide who is in and who is out,” he said. —AFP