KABUL, April 27 (Xinhua) -- The Afghan Taliban on Saturday announced to launch an annual rebel offensive, according to a statement released to the media by the insurgent group.
The Taliban, fighting Afghan government and the NATO-led coalition forces, in the statement said that they would start the annual spring operation codenamed "Khalid bin Waleed" -- the name of Islamic history's general -- from Sunday.
"This year's spring operation, in accordance with its combat nature, will consist of special military tactics quantity and quality wise while successful insider attacks, to eliminate foreign invaders, will be carried out by infiltrating Mujahideen ( holy warriors) inside enemy bases in a systematic and coordinated manner," it said.
They also warned civilians to stay away from official gatherings, military convoys and centers regarded as the legitimate targets by militants besides warning people not to support the government and foreign troops.
The Taliban, which has been waging an insurgency for more than one decade, also said: "Similarly, collective martyrdom (suicidal) operations on bases of foreign invaders, their diplomatic centers and military airbases will be even further structured while every possible tactic will be utilized in order to detain or inflict heavy casualties on the foreign transgressors."
The announcement came as spring and summer, known as the fighting season, is drawing near in the insurgency-hit country.
The Taliban-led insurgency and conflicts claimed the lives of more than 2,800 Afghan security forces and 402 foreign soldiers while leaving 2,754 civilians dead last year in the central Asian state.
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