U.S. will not target Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Omar after 2014 end

The United States has said that it would not target prominent Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Omar and other militants after January 2 in Afghanistan unless they posed a definite threat to the U.S.

Pentagon spokesperson Rear Admiral John Kirby said that being a member of the Taliban did not mean that they would be targeted by the U.S. while he drew a line between combatant and non-combatant Taliban saying that those who continued to fight would be targeted.

Kirby said that any member of the Taliban who acts against Afghanistan or the U.S. renders himself vulnerable to U.S. attacks, reported Dawn News.

On Friday, U.S. President Barack Obama assured that he would end the U.S. led war in Afghanistan by the end of this year.

After more than 13 years, the U.S. would end the combat mission in Afghanistan in less than two weeks.

However, Obama has authorized his force to fight if there is direct threat posed to official Afghan forces.