The Taliban have stopped shelling two giant Buddhas for the duration of the Muslim Eid holiday, but remain determined to smash all statues in areas they control, according to media reports.
The Taliban envoy to Pakistan, Mr Abdul Salam Zaeef, quoted by the Pakistan-based Afghan Islamic Press (AIP), ruled out all compromise to save the Buddha statues.
Mr Zaeef said the Taliban had rejected a proposal from a London-based Afghan engineer to build walls to hide the ancient Buddha figures in the central province of Bamiyan.
“We will destroy all statues, including the Buddhas, and no other proposal is under consideration in this regard,” Mr Zaeef said.
A number of countries and foreign organisations have made offers to either buy or save the giant Buddhas, which tower 53 metres and 36.5 metres and were hewn into sandstone cliffs at least 1,500 years ago.
The Taliban, who control more than 90 per cent of Afghanistan, are facing a world outcry over the decision to destroy all statues in thename of Islam.
Earlier today, witnesses said more than half of the Buddhist statues had been damaged by shelling but the Taliban had delayed further destruction until after the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha (Feast ofthe Sacrifice), which is expected to last until the weekend.