Taliban kidnap leader killed

AP/Washington Post:

U.S. airstrikes targeting a meeting of Taliban leaders killed a high-ranking commander involved in the kidnappings of 23 South Koreans two months ago, Afghan officials said Tuesday.

...

Mullah Abdullah Jan, the Taliban commander of Qara Bagh district in Ghazni province, was among 12 killed in the strike on a mud-brick housing compound overnight in neighboring Giro district, said Ghazni provincial police chief Gen. Ali Shah Ahmadzai.

The U.S.-led coalition said "several" suspected militants were killed and four detained during an operation in Giro that included gunfire and airstrikes, but it could not immediately confirm that Jan was killed.

Jan was the fifth Taliban commander allegedly involved in the abductions who has been reported killed in recent days, and believed to be the highest-ranking one eliminated so far. Jan watched as his fighters stopped and kidnapped a tour bus carrying the South Koreans in July, Ahmadzai said.

Afghanistan's Interior Ministry on Sunday said police had killed three Taliban commanders allegedly involved in the abductions. Another, a Mullah Mateen, was said to be killed in fighting earlier in the month.

...

Taliban leadership has been under sustained assault this year and those stepping into the positions have not shown much flair for the job. It appears that the kidnap strategy has become a deadly blow back against specific Taliban "leaders." They did not have much time to enjoy any money they extorted for return of their victims.

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