Speaking at a news briefing in Kabul, he urged the Taliban to get in contact with tribal elders and the US-led coalition "and declare their allegiance and lay down their arms and in return they will not be targeted".

Khalilzad called on Taliban militants "to lay down their arms, to stop using terror tactics. Continuation of armed resistance... is against the will of Afghan people and Islam," he said.

The US-led coalition has more than 18,000 troops mostly hunting Taliban and al-Qaeda-linked militants in south and southeast Afghanistan, where insurgents are waging an ongoing revolt against Afghan government and US forces.

The hardline Islamic regime was ousted by a US-led military campaign in late 2001 but Taliban loyalists continue to stage attacks on government and US troops, aid workers and civilians.