Karzai Reaches Out to Taliban

On a visit to a violent northern Afghanistan province, Afghan President Hamid Karzai called the Taliban to entertain a peaceful alternative. Karzai urged the insurgents to put their weapons aside and speak their needs, adding foreign occupation would not change so long as fighting continued. Karzai’s peaceful encouragement came as a roadside bomb struck a bus carrying a U.S.-supported demining group of Afghans killing five and injuring 13 in the south and reports came out of more wounded and dead from around the country. In today’s address, Karzai repeated his outreach efforts in an appeal against violence and terrorism in favor of the Afghan constitution.