Taliban local leader captured in Afghanistan: official

The Afghan National Police (ANP) had captured a Taliban local leader in the country's northern province of Sari Pul, the Interior Ministry said on Sunday.

"The local insurgent leader named Aziz Ullah was detained after ANP launched a special operation in Sangcharak district, Sari Pul province late Saturday," it said in a statement.

The detainee is responsible for conducting attacks against security forces and planting landmines and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) across the province.

The statement added that the ANP also found and defused an IED in Cheshma-e-Shir locality of the provincial capital Sari Pul city, 350 km northwest of Afghan capital.

The Afghan security forces have beefed up security operations against militants since Tuesday after Taliban started their so-called annual spring offensive code name "Operation Omari."