Taliban making false claims, ISAF says

KABUL, Afghanistan, May 23 (UPI) -- False claims made by the Taliban in Afghanistan show the insurgent group is desperate to regain lost influence, a military spokesman said Monday.

The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan blamed the Haqqani militant group in Afghanistan for a weekend attack on a military hospital in Kabul. The Taliban, however, claimed they pulled off the raid that killed six and left 26 others injured.

"The Taliban falsely claimed responsibility because in their weakened state they need to project that they still have power and relevance in an attempt to keep their ground troops motivated," ISAF spokesman German army Brig. Gen. Josef Blotz said in a statement.

Afghan private TV channels reported Monday that Taliban leader Mullah Omar had been killed in Pakistan though Taliban officials denied the reports.

Omar was allegedly killed en route from Quetta to North Waziristan in Pakistan. Similar reports were carried by other local TV channels, including Shamshad, Ariana and Noor but few provided details.

CNN-IBN in India quoted Hamid Gul, former head of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate, as saying there was no reason for Omar to be in Pakistan.

The reclusive Omar is believed to be hiding in Afghanistan.