Islam Times - UK army chief's Taliban warning angers Afghan govt.

Islam Times - The British army chief's warning about the return of the Taliban has drawn angry reaction from the Afghan government.

On Saturday, the Afghan Defense Ministry rejected the claim that the Taliban could retake vital territory in Afghanistan as foreign forces are preparing to withdraw from the occupied country next year.

Defense Ministry spokesman Mohammad Zahir Azimi said that the Afghan National Army is prepared to take over the security of the country after the foreign troops pullout in 2014.

General Sir Peter Wall, the head of the British army, known as Chief of the General Staff (CGS), warned in an interview published on Thursday that the Taliban militants could retake the key towns such as Musa Qala in the southern Helmand province.

He also said that British forces will face a tough year ahead before the 6,000 troops are withdrawn at the end of 2014.

“The Taliban will be contesting the places we’ve left and there are these iconic places like Musa Qala which we fought over and suffered quite significantly,” said Peter. “It would be quite bad news if the Taliban were to get back into a place like that.”

The warning came as the US is pressuring Kabul to sign a controversial security agreement, which allows the US troops to stay in Afghanistan beyond 2014 with immunity from prosecution.

The United States and its allies entered the war in Afghanistan in October 2001 as part of Washington’s so-called war on terror. The offensive removed the Taliban from power, but after more than 12 years, the foreign troops have still not been able to establish security in the country.