Taliban Spokesman Denies Threatening Pakistan

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By Saeed Ali Achakzai

CHAMAN, Pakistan (Reuters) - A Taliban spokesman denied Friday having threatened revenge on Pakistani forces for hunting Taliban and al Qaeda militants along the Pakistan-Afghanistan (news - web sites) border.

"I have not given any such interview," Abdul Latif Hakimi told Reuters after Al Jazeera television broadcast a video in which a man with the same name made the threats. The man's face was covered.

"None of the Taliban spokesmen have issued any statement like that," Hakimi said by telephone from an undisclosed location.

"We do not interfere in other countries' affairs," said Hakimi. "It is up to Pakistan wherever it wants to conduct an operation. What objection can we have? We have our own country."

In the video the man vowed the Taliban would attack U.S. and Pakistani forces if they did not stop hunting Taliban and al Qaeda militants.

He accused Pakistan of betraying the Taliban "in a way history won't forget."

In late 2001, U.S.-led forces ousted the Taliban from power in Afghanistan, accusing it of supporting Osama bin Laden (news - web sites)'s al Qaeda.

U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan and Pakistani troops have launched new offensives on either side on the border in remote and mountainous areas in an effort to kill or capture Taliban and al Qaeda leaders, including bin Laden.

Pakistani forces said they were fighting a fierce battle on Friday with 300-400 foreign militants and Pakistani tribal allies after encircling them near the Afghan border.

Officials have said the militants might include bin Laden's second-in-command Ayman al-Zawahri.