Posted on 12/27/2006 12:45:12 AM PST by jdm
A TALIBAN commander confirmed today that the rebels' military chief in southern Afghanistan had been killed in a US airstrike on December 19, and said his death was a blow for the Islamist movement.
The US military said last week Akhtar Mohammad Osmani, who had close links to Osama bin Laden, had been killed in an airstrike in Helmand province – a claim rejected by a Taliban commander and spokesman at the time.
But a senior Taliban commander who declined to be identified confirmed Osmani had been killed.
“He has died. We got this information on the day of the strike but our leadership ordered us not to disclose it,” the commander, speaking by telephone, said in the Pakistani border town of Chaman.
“He was not only an experienced military commander but also good in making financial transactions for us. He had good contacts,” he said, without elaborating.
“His death will have some bad impact on our movement for some time.”
Osmani was the most senior Taliban leader to be killed since the hardline Islamists were ousted from power in late 2001, weeks after the September 11 attacks on the US.
The group's leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar, had anointed Osmani as his heir in 2001.
(Excerpt) Read more at theaustralian.news.com.au ...
A terrorist [Taliban Commander] admits defeat -- a 'blow' to the 'movement'?! That's something CBS and the others can't even admit to. Wow.
What do those guys eat for breakfast?
Oh well, there will be some happy worms somewhere.
Smells like VICTORY!
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