KABUL, Afghanistan, June 6 (UPI) -- Afghan troops have captured a high-ranking Taliban commander who is thought to have led attacks on Afghan and U.S. troops, military officials announced. Haji Sultan, who was wanted by the U.S. military, was captured in the province of Farah in the west of the country, the BBC reported Sunday. Another senior Taliban fighter, Mullah Mohammed Rahim, also was arrested. Afghan Defense Ministry spokesman Zahir Azimy said that Haji Sultan had been handed over to the U.S. military for questioning.
The United States has said the Taliban are down to around 2,000 men, with a declining appeal to former leaders and to the population. However, Taliban insurgents have stepped up attacks on Afghan and U.S. troops in the past two months, following a winter lull in their activities and prior to parliamentary elections scheduled for September. |