The former Taliban foreign minister has turned himself in to US forces in Afghanistan. US officials say he is the highest ranking Taliban official to surrender himself to date.
Mullah Abdul Wakil Muttawakil surrendered in Kandahar and was transferred to the US military base at the city's airport.
US authorities are questioning Mullah Muttawakil, in an effort to find out the whereabouts of Osama bin Laden and also to gain intelligence on al-Qaeda.
"We can confirm that the Taliban foreign minister did turn himself in earlier today at Kandahar," said Maj Brad Lowell, spokesman for Central Command in Florida. "He's under the control of US troops in Kandahar."
A spokesman for Afghanistan's foreign minister, Omar Samad, welcomed the news: "We have been expecting some important Taliban leaders who are on the run to either turn themselves in or to be caught and to be brought to justice," Mr Omar Samad said.
PA &