The special forces onslaught hailed by Nato as helping turn the momentum against the Taliban was in fact making peace more remote he claimed. Mullah Abdul Hakim Mujahid, a deputy leader of Hamid Karzai's peace council tasked with finding a political settlement, said the attempt to wipe out the Taliban hierarchy was "in vain". The comments by the former Taliban ambassador to the United Nations contradict buoyant Nato commanders who have boasted the raids by troops including the SAS have rattled the insurgency. By driving Taliban from their heartlands with Barack Obama's surge reinforcements, while targeting the command, Nato believes it can drive insurgents to the negotiating table. Mullah Mujahid however said an older more pragmatic generation of Taliban leaders was being replaced by zealots opposed to any reconciliation. He said: "Any older commanders that have been killed, the fanatical ones have come in their place. "In that way we are losing a lot of politically-minded Taliban. The new ones have a more religious mentality. They are only fighters." Mullah Abdul Qayum Zakir, a hardliner and former Guantnamo Bay prisoner who rose to become deputy leader this year, typified the new breed he said. In September to November, Nato forces carried out 1,756 raids to capture or kill insurgent leaders. In that period 385 insurgent leaders were seized or killed. Coalition commanders concede that Taliban networks can easily recruit and find new leaders, but say the raids are exerting "extreme pressure". Lt Col John Dorrian, a spokesman, said: "The insurgents replacing those who are captured or killed often have less technical and leadership expertise. "In any case, I certainly wouldn't want to be a Taliban leader in Afghanistan right now. "Many midlevel fighters and senior-level Taliban leaders are fleeing the country; their networks are under constant pressure by every aspect of our comprehensive campaign. That pressure will intensify as we squeeze the insurgency from all sides." Violence remains at record levels this year. Mullah Mujahid also gave a sombre assessment of attempts to split the insurgency or coax foot soldiers to lay down their weapons without a broader settlement. He said: "These efforts will not be productive. It will waste our time and money and resources. "The leadership of the Taliban is in power and the legitimacy of the fighting comes from the leadership." (The Telegraph)