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KABUL, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Afghanistan's President
Hamid Karzai on Thursday called on Taliban militias to give up militancy and
join the peace process in the war-ravaged country.
"I am calling on Taliban to give up militancy, join the
peace process and resume their normal life in a prosperous society," he told an
audience of a few hundred people including elders and government officials in
Kandahar, expressing his regret over civilians' casualties there.
According to local sources, Some 50 civilians were
killed and over 100 others wounded in air raids conducted by the U.S. military
in the restive Panjwai district Sunday night while officials say only 16
civilians lost their lives in the raid.
The fatal bombardments, which triggered locals to
criticize the government, forced authorities to initiate investigation.
Accompanied by General Karl Ekinberry, Karzai, the
commander-in-chief of the 23,000-strong U.S.-led coalition forces in
Afghanistan, said he was very upset over the bloody incident and the lose of
life of civilians.
"I want the people to defend their schools, mosques
and other public properties and do not allow any one to harm it," Karzai
emphasized while referring to militants' attacks on schools and teachers.
Blaming Mullah Omar, the elusive leader of Taliban
for the ongoing insurgency in the southern region, Karzai questioned, "Mullah
Omar: why are you sending Afghans into the country to kill Afghans?"
However, he assured the audience that his government
would do every effort to stabilize security across the country.
"By any possible means I would ensure peace and
durable security in Kandahar and other parts of Afghanistan," Karzai noted.
U.S. military sources say that Taliban fighters
opened fire on their troops from inside the houses and that the troops for their
defense pounded the houses where Taliban were hiding.
More than 350 people including five foreign soldiers
have been killed in Taliban-linked militancy in the volatile southern region
since early last week. Enditem | 
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