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| India-Pakistan |
| Pakistan arrests Taliban 'shadow governors' |
| 2010-02-18 |
| PAKISTAN has captured two "shadow governors" belonging to Afghanistan's Taliban movement, an Afghan official said today. The timing of the reported arrests coincides with the capture of Taliban's second-in-command Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar in Pakistan's Karachi by Pakistani and US agents this month. Mullah Abdul Salam and Mullah Mir Mohammad, respectively the shadow governors of the northern Afghan provinces of Kunduz and Baghlan happened in Pakistan's Baluchistan province, the Afghan governor for Kunduz said. "My information about their capture, which occurred nearly a week ago, is based on national intelligence sources," Mohammad Omar said. Pakistan has yet to comment about the report on the arrest of the two men, who both reported to Baradar. Since their ouster from power by US-backed Afghan forces in 2001, the Taliban have appointed shadow governors whose primary responsibility is organising Taliban military activities. Washington has hailed Pakistan for the capture of Baradar, the seniormost Taliban leader to be held since the movement's ouster from power in Afghanistan more than eight years ago. Baradar's capture coincides with the launch of a huge offensive by NATO and Afghan forces to flush the Taliban out of their biggest bastion in Helmand province, while the Afghan government is reaching out to them for possible reconciliation. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #1 It's being suggested that the Paks aren't doing this because they've suddenly come around to our side, but because they want to control the situation, i.e., handpick the people left in charge... |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2010-02-18 10:15 |