Nato-led forces said today they had captured the senior commander for the Haqqani network in Afghanistan during an operation in eastern Paktia province earlier in the week.
Haji Mali Khan is "the uncle of Siraj and Badruddin Haqqani . . . one of the highest ranking members of the Haqqani network and a revered elder of the Haqqani clan," the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said in a statement.
Nato 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. The statement called him "the senior Haqqani commander in Afghanistan".
He was captured last 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 force said. It did not detail how they had identified Khan.
The Taliban, to whom the Haqqani network have pledged allegiance, denied that Khan had been captured.
Nato said this year they had arrested 1,300 suspected Haqqani insurgents and 300 insurgent leaders in 500 operations that aimed to disrupt the network. Around 20 "network facilitators" were killed, the statement added.
Khan had also established a militant camp in Paktia province in the past year and reported directly to Siraj Haqqani, the son of founding commander Jalaluddin Haqqani, Nato said.
Siraj is now believed to be in charge of day-to-day affairs of the Haqqani network because his father has health problems.
Reuters