The Taliban’s reclusive leader said Tuesday that his group was willing to start peace negotiations, even as he urged more attacks — including insider shootings by government security forces — on foreign troops…

The Taliban’s longstanding policy is to continue attacks even as it pursues negotiations.

The five-page message was emailed to news organizations. Mullah Omar regularly issues such messages for the two yearly Eid holy days.

Striking a conciliatory tone elsewhere in the message, he denied that the insurgents were seeking to monopolize power in Afghanistan and said that his group favored what he described as an “Afghan-inclusive government based on Islamic principles.”