Pro-Taliban leader captured in Afghanistan

Senior commander of the Haqqani network, which has pledged allegiance to the Taliban, is seized in Paktia province A senior leader of a major pro-Taliban network has been captured in Afghanistan, the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) has announced. Haji Mali Khan, the senior commander of the Haqqani network in Afghanistan, was detained during an operation in eastern Paktia province earlier this week. Khan is “one of the highest ranking members of the Haqqani network and a revered elder of the Haqqani clan,” Isaf said. Khan had managed bases and operations in both Afghanistan and Pakistan, and moved forces across the border for attacks, as well as transferring funds and sourcing supplies, Isaf added in a statement. He was captured on Tuesday in Jani Khel district of Paktia province along with his deputy and bodyguard, in an operation by Afghan and foreign forces, Nato said. He was heavily armed but “submitted … without incident or resistance”. The Taliban, to whom the Haqqani network have pledged allegiance, denied that Khan had been captured. “I have just spoken with Haji Mali Khan, he is fine and is somewhere else and hasn’t been detained,” a Taliban spokesman told Reuters. “This is a baseless news and it has been released in order to weaken mujahideen’s morale.” Nato said it had arrested 1,300 suspected Haqqani insurgents and 300 insurgent leaders in 500 operations this year. Afghanistan Taliban guardian.co.uk

Posted by on October 1, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.