Kabul: Nearly 15 senior and midlevel Taliban
figures have been detained in Pakistan in recent weeks,
including the group`s top commander in eastern Afghanistan
whose arrest was confirmed today by the Afghan government.
Some of the Taliban were picked up after they fled
Afghanistan ahead of a major military assault under way in
southern Afghanistan, two Pakistani intelligence officials
said on condition of anonymity.
because they were not authorised to release the information.
Thousands of US, NATO and Afghan troops are in the 13th
day of an offensive to seize Taliban-controlled areas around
the town of Marjah in Helmand province.
The intelligence officials said Pakistan had shared its
investigations with the CIA, which provided key information to
Pakistan`s intelligence service about the hide-outs of Taliban
leaders. Some of the Taliban leaders were captured during
shootouts, the officials said.
Those in custody include the Taliban`s No 2, Mullah Abdul
Ghani Baradar, second only to Taliban boss Mullah Mohammad
Omar who remains at large.
Today, Afghan spokesman Siamak Herawi said Pakistani
authorities had told the Kabul government that the top Taliban
commander for eastern Afghanistan, Mullah Abdul Kabir, was
taken into custody in Pakistan about a week ago.
Bureau Report
