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28 March 2024

Top Taliban leader captured in Karachi

US media says a top Taliban commander was captured several days ago. (AFP)

Published
By AFP

US and Pakistani spies have captured the Taliban's top military commander, US media reported, but the militia yesterday denied his arrest and said he was still leading the fight in Afghanistan.

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar was arrested in Pakistan's sprawling port city of Karachi "several days ago" by US and Pakistani intelligence services, the New York Times and other US media said, citing unnamed US Government officials.

Islamabad's ties with the US are controversial in Pakistan, where Interior Minister Rehman Malik stopped short of confirming or denying that Baradar was in custody, but criticised the report as "propaganda".

If confirmed, the arrest would be a huge blow for the Taliban, who have been fighting to bring down the Afghan Government and evict Western troops since the 2001 US-led invasion removed them from power.

 

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