Afghan forces detain 4 militants including Taliban key commander

Afghan forces in crackdown against militants have arrested four Taliban fighters including key commander Qari Bakhtiar outside Pul-e-Khumri, the capital of northern Baghlan province, army spokesman Nasratullah Jamshidi said Wednesday.

"Acting upon intelligence report, the security forces raided Taliban hideout in Chashma-e-Shir locality outside provincial capital Pul-e-Khumri and arrested notorious commander Qari Bakhtiar along with three others on Tuesday night," Jamshidi told Xinhua.

Qari Bakhtiar was in-charge of organizing roadside bombings and targeting security personnel in the northern Baghlan province, the official said, adding his arrest could prove a major setback to the militant group.

Meantime, another army spokesman in the northern region, Mohammad Hanif Rezai said that Qari Aslam, another Taliban group commander in Baghlan province, is also among those arrested outside provincial capital Pul-e-Khumri.

Taliban militants haven't commented.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)