Musa Qala, Afghanistan - Taliban leaders seized in assault on Afghan town

Reuters (excerpt) ^ | December 9, 2007 | Hamid Shalizi

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Excerpt -

KABUL, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Afghan and NATO-led forces have captured two senior Taliban commanders during their offensive to retake the insurgents' most important stronghold in Afghanistan, the Afghan Defence Ministry said on Sunday.

Musa Qala, in the southern province of Helmand, has a symbolic significance for both sides in the conflict in Afghanistan as the only sizeable Afghan town controlled by the Taliban.

U.S. and British forces opened the operation on Friday, in the words of a British spokesman "kicking the door in to Musa Qala", to be followed up by an assault by Afghan forces.

The operation is expected to last several days, but Afghan and foreign forces appeared to have scored an early victory with the capture of two top Taliban civilian commanders in Helmand.

"During the operation, two Taliban commanders named Mullah Mateen Akhond and Mullah Rahim Akhond have been captured by joint forces," the Defence Ministry said in a statement.

Mullah Rahim Akhond is the Taliban-appointed governor of Helmand, while Mullah Mateen Akhond is the Taliban dictrict governor of Musa Qala.

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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1938093/posts -

“The Afghan government acknowledged Tuesday that claims that two major Taliban commanders in Helman province were taken prisoner during the battle were untrue.”

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Afghanistan flag flies over Musa Qala
United Press International | 12/11/07 | United Press International
Posted on 12/11/2007 5:55:58 PM EST by mdittmar
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1938093/posts