Senior Taliban commander killed in southern Afghanistan

The NATO-led coalition forces on Wednesday confirmed death of a senior Taliban commander in Afghanistan's southern restive province of Helmand.

The U.S. Forces-Afghanistan, which is part of NATO-led Resolute Support, twitted that Mullah Shah Wali leader of the Taliban's so-called Sara Qetta or "Red Unit" was recently killed in Helmand province, 555 km south of Kabul.

The Taliban's notorious Red Unit, which is also known as the Taliban Special Forces, has been in charge of conducting commando-style Assaults, attacking key security installations and Afghan command posts, and laying ambushes against security forces.

Afghan security forces and the coalition troops have beefed up security operations and airstrikes against militants as the war-weary people are facing upsurges in attacks by Taliban and Islamic State (IS) militants across the country.

On Tuesday, Afghan intelligence agency confirmed the death of Omar Khetab, the second-in-command of al-Qaida on the Indian subcontinent, following operations in Afghanistan.

Afghan National Directorate of Security (NDS) said in a statement that Khetab was among 81 al-Qaida and Taliban members killed during recent joint Afghan and coalition operations.

The Taliban has yet to make comments on the report.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)