New Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhundzada called on the US Saturday to end its "occupation" of Afghanistan in his first message since being appointed the militant group's chief. The message was released to mark the upcoming Muslim festival of Eid and comes two days after Taliban-claimed suicide blasts, targeting a convoy of buses transporting Afghan police cadets in Kabul, killed over 30 people and wounded more than 70. "Admit the realities instead of useless use of force and muscle... and put an end to the occupation," Akhundzada said in a speech on the eve of Eid-al-Fitr, the Muslim festival marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.
