PESHAWAR: Afghanistan Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid in his response to US President Donald Trump’s speech on Tuesday said they will make Afghanistan a 21st century graveyard for the US Empire. A statement attributed to Mujahid read that at last the US president announced his policy in which he has labelled Afghanistan a threat to the US. And has intended to keep its occupying forces in Afghanistan. “It looks like the US still doesn’t want to end its long-war in Afghanistan as instead of accepting the facts from ground, the US is still proud of its power and military might,” Zabiullah said. “The Afghans were put to a test by the invading forces and for 16 years running we have proved ourselves against the occupying forces. We will continue our struggle with continued passion, high moral and might until the presence of the last American soldier on the Afghan soil. Our Jihad will continue for as long as the US leaders follow their policy of war in Afghanistan,” the Taliban spokesman added. Mujahid opined that instead of prolonging the war in Afghanistan, the US should have worked on finding safe passage for its troops based in Afghanistan. “Securing freedom of Afghanistan from the US occupation is our religious and national duty. We will carry on performing this duty till our last breaths,” he added. To a statement by the US president regarding the impact of the US war in Afghanistan on the American people, Mujahid said the Afghan Taliban will add to the worries of the American people and will force the American rulers to accept the realities of their war in Afghanistan. “Afghans are not tired of fighting for their independence and we will continue their struggle for the implementation of Islamic rule in Afghanistan. If the US does not pull all its forces out of Afghanistan, we will make this country the 21st century graveyard for the American Empire,” he claimed. Mujahid added that the war in Afghanistan was initiated on false claims and intelligence propaganda. “Afghanistan is not a threat to anyone and its soil never gave any trouble to any state. The fact that this war was initiated on unfounded claims and intelligence propaganda is the reason for the worries the troubles of the US,” he added. Published in Daily Times, August 23rd 2017.