Taliban commander arrested, over 15 killed in Afghanistan (Roundup)

Apr 6, 2008, 13:55 GMT

Kabul - Afghan police arrested a senior Taliban commander in southern Afghanistan, while more than 15 other insurgents were killed and several detained in separate Afghan- and internationally-run operations, officials said Sunday.

Taliban commander Mullah Abdul Jabar was arrested by police forces in southern Kandahar province on Saturday, the Interior Ministry said in statement.

The statement described Jabar as deputy commander for Mullah Mansoor Dadullah, another senior Taliban commander, who was arrested by Pakistan forces in February this year while crossing the border from Afghanistan into Pakistan.

Mansoor Dadullah succeeded his brother Mullah Dadullah, a feared Taliban commander who was killed in combat in southern Helmand province last year.

The Afghan army said Sunday its forces backed by NATO troops killed at least 15 suspected Taliban members in Zherai district of Kandahar province on Saturday during an operation that began in the area one week ago.

'Five terrorists were killed in Zareen Khail village of Zherai district, while 10 other terrorist were killed in Zafar Khail village of the district,' the defence ministry said.

Southern Kandahar province, once the main stronghold of Taliban fugitive leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar, has been the scene of heavy fighting since the ouster of the Taliban regime six years ago.

Meanwhile, Afghan and coalition forces killed several suspected insurgents in eastern Nuristan province on Sunday, the US military said in a statement.

The combined troops came under fire by a group of insurgents from several compounds in Kendal and Shok villages while the joint forces were conducting a cordon-and-search operation in the area, the statement said.

The joint forces returned fire and called in air support to eliminate the insurgents' positions, it said, adding that several suspected insurgents arrested, while the combined forces discovered fully-loaded weapons and stores of ammunition.