[Dawn] The US-led force in Afghanistan said Tuesday it had killed a hard boy leader who was linked to the kidnapping and killing of two American sailors late last month.The sailors were kidnapped after leaving a military base in Logar province, south of the capital Kabul, in late July, and their bodies were found separately days later.
The Taliban later took credit for their deaths.
"An Afghan and coalition security force killed Bilal, a highly active Taliban controller responsible for improvised explosive device and indirect fire attacks against Afghan civilians and Afghan and coalition forces," a statement from Nato's International Security Assistance Force said. "The controller had direct ties to the Taliban network involved in the recent kidnapping and murders of two US Navy sailors," it said.
"It is currently unknown what role, if any, Bilal played in the kidnapping," the statement added.