Karzai asks Taliban to lay down arms, join Afghan government

Karzai, speaking at a ceremony commemorating Afghanistan's victory against the Soviet-backed communist regime in 1992, said those engaged in insurgency against his government were "unknowingly" fighting their people on orders of foreign elements. He did not elaborate.

"On this great day of our nation's victory, I call on our those brothers... who are unknowingly causing the destruction of their country on the guidance of the enemy, to return to their homes," Karzai said.

Anti-Soviet warriors known as Mujahedin seized power in Kabul after the regime of communist leader Najibullah collapsed in 1992.

However, a bloody power struggle erupted between rival Mujahedin factions in which more than 50,000 people, mostly civilians, were killed. The fighting reduced much of the capital to ruins.

The civil war ended when the Taliban militia took over much of Afghanistan in 1996.

Karzai blamed the factional fighting on a "hidden foreign invasion."

"Afghanistan's sacrifices took the holy war to victory. But unfortunately the glory of the victory did not last long and the fighting erupted on foreign interference," he said.

"The country was secretly invaded and it became the nest of terrorism," he added.

The ceremony, attended by senior government officials, included a military parade.

Public reaction to the celebrations was mixed.