Taliban terrorist released for Italian journalist killed

CNN:

A coalition airstrike has killed a commander of Taliban forces in southern Afghanistan, the U.S. military said Wednesday.

...

Taliban commander Mullah Ghafar was killed in a strike in Helmand province Monday. The military blamed him for ambushes and attacks on coalition checkpoints and convoys in Helmand and the neighboring provinces of Farah and Nimruz. There were no other casualties.

Ghafar was reportedly one of five Taliban militants released in March 2007 in exchange for kidnapped Italian journalist Daniele Mastrogiacomo.

But the deal -- negotiated between then Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi and Afghan President Hamid Karzai -- was criticized by the United States for putting coalition troops in the region at risk.

Earlier this year, Ghafar was reportedly wounded in clashes in Kandahar that killed fellow Taliban commander Mullah Janan.

...


Releasing this guy for an Italian journalist was a huge mistake. Killing him is a boost for the war effort. It is further evidence that the US and its allies are getting better intelligence and are making it very dangerous to be a Taliban leader. It also means that he can not be released again to get some hapless Italian journalist freed by the Taliban.

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