Afghan President Hamid Karzai has marked the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr with a call for peace.
Mr. Karzai called on Taliban militants Sunday to renounce violence and join the peace process. He says insurgents can lay down their arms and help rebuild their war-torn country.
Meanwhile, the Taliban's leader has made his own statement for the festival of Eid.
Mullah Omar warns that U.S. and NATO forces will face defeat in Afghanistan. In a statement Saturday, Omar said Westerners need only study Afghanistan's history to see that they will fail.
The Taliban leader is thought to be in Pakistan but has not been seen in public for years.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP.