Afghan official: Top Taliban commander in custody

[February 25, 2010]  KABUL (AP) -- An Afghan official says Pakistani officials have confirmed that they have arrested top Taliban commander Abdul Kabir.

Siamak Herawi, a spokesman for Afghan President Hamid Karzai, said Thursday that Kabir was detained a week ago in Pakistan.

The arrest of Kabir, who ran Taliban operations in eastern Afghanistan, is part of a recent crackdown on insurgents in Pakistan.

He is one of at least four top Afghan Taliban leaders that Pakistani officials have detained in recent weeks.

Among them is Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar -- second only to the Taliban's leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar. Baradar was arrested near Karachi several weeks ago by Pakistani officials with the aid of U.S. intelligence.

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.