The Afghan Taliban today pledged to continue its fight against foreign occupying forces but insisted it poses no threat to the West.
Today marks the eighth anniversary of the US-led invasion that removed the Taliban from power.
With the help of Afghan groups, the US forces overthrew the Taliban government during a five week battle which started on October 7th, 2001, after they refused to hand over al-Qaeda leaders wanted by Washington for the September 11th .
"We had and have no plan of harming countries of the world, including those in Europe ... our goal is the independence of the country and the building of an Islamic state," the Taliban said in a statement on its website.
"Still, if you (Nato and US troops) want to colonise the country of proud and pious Afghans under the baseless pretext of a war on terror, then you should know that our patience will only increase and that we are ready for a long war."
President Barack Obama has said defeating the militants in Afghanistan and Pakistan is a top foreign policy priority and is evaluating whether to send thousands of extra troops to the country as requested by the commander of Nato and US forces.
In a review of the war in Afghanistan submitted to the Pentagon last month, US General Stanley McChrystal, in charge of all foreign forces, said defeating the insurgents would likely result in failure unless more troops were sent.
There are currently more than 100,000 foreign troops in the country, roughly two-thirds of who are Americans.
The Taliban statement comes at a time when Western officials warn that deserting Afghanistan could mean a return to power for the Taliban and the country could once again become a safe haven for al-Qaeda, who could use it as a base to plan
future attacks on Western countries.
The Taliban have made a comeback in recent years, spreading their attacks to previously secure areas. The growing insecurity has further added to the frustration of ordinary Afghans with the West and President Hamid Karzai's government.
In the statement, the Taliban said the US invasion was hasty and unjustified. Washington had not given leaders of the movement any proof to show the involvement of al Qaeda in the September 11th attacks, it said.
The US was using the so-called war on terror in Afghanistan and in Iraq as part of its expansionist goals in the Middle East, central and southeast Asia, it claimed
Qari Mohammad Yousuf, a spokesman for the Taliban, said the withdrawal of foreign troops was the only solution to the conflict.
Some 1,500 foreign troops have also died in Afghanistan since 2001.