A local Taliban leader has been killed in an operation carried out by Afghan forces and the NATO- led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) troops in eastern province of Nangarhar, the ISAF forces confirmed.
“An Afghan and coalition security force killed Taliban leader, Hamza, during an operation in Khugyani district, Nangarhar province,” said the ISAF in a press release.
The killed leader was specialized in improvised explosive device (IED) attacks, and also had a history of involvement in small arms and suicide attacks in the province 120 km east of Afghan capital of Kabul, the release said, adding “Hamza was responsible for coordinating and conducting attacks against Afghan and coalition forces in Khugyani district.”
The Taliban has been waging an insurgency since its regime was toppled by a U.S-led invasion in late 2001. The insurgent group has yet to confirm the death of their leader.
In a separate development, the Taliban earlier in the day ran over a village in Wardoj district in northern Badakhshan province, forcing more than 2,000 villagers to evict their houses and leave the village, a provincial government spokesman said.
“Taliban raided the Yakhshira village Tuesday morning. I do confirm forced displacement of up to 287 families or more than 2, 000 people,” Abdul Maruf Rasikh told Xinhua, adding security forces rolled out an operation to clear the village from militants in coming days.
Earlier this month, Taliban ambushed an army convoy in Wardoj in the province 315 km northeast of Kabul, killing 16 army soldiers. NNI
