Taliban leader says his followers will keep fighting if US-Afghan security deal is signed

An Afghan woman begs for money at a livestock market set up for the upcoming Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, or "feast of sacrifice," on the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2013. Muslims all over the world celebrate the three-day Eid al-Adha, by sacrificing sheep, goats, and cows to commemorate the Prophet Abraham's readiness to sacrifice his son, Ismail, on God's command. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) (The Associated Press)

In this Saturday, Oct. 12, 2013 photo, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, left, gestures as he speaks during a news conference with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, right, at the Presidential Palace during an unannounced stop in Kabul, Afghanistan, as a deadline approaches for a security deal about the future of U.S. troops in the country. Kerry and Karzai announced a partial agreement was reached on a security accord, but the potentially deal-breaking issue of jurisdiction for American forces remains unresolved. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, Pool) (The Associated Press)

KABUL, Afghanistan – The leader of the Afghan Taliban says his group will keep fighting if Kabul signs a key security deal with the United States.

The secretive Mullah Mohammad Omar also urged followers to step up their militant campaign against the Afghan government and NATO forces.

He also called on Afghans to boycott next year's presidential and provincial elections.

Monday's message from the Taliban leader came in an email distributed to media on the eve of the Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday.

Violence across Afghanistan has spiked as insurgents try to retake territory ahead of full NATO pullout at the end of 2014.

President Hamid Karzai and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry reached a preliminary agreement on the U.S.-Afghan deal on Saturday but key issues, such as immunity for American troops, remain.