KANDAHAR, Afghanistan – Afghan forces acting on a tip captured four regional Taliban (search) commanders and killed six other militants in two separate weekend raids in southern Afghanistan, an Afghan governor said Monday.
The Taliban commanders were captured Saturday during a raid on a home in Tarinkot (search), the capital of Afghanistan's Oruzgan province, said Jan Mohammed, the governor of the province. They offered no resistance.
Mohammed identified the men as Mullah Yaqub, Mullah Wali Mohammed, Mullah Taj Mohammed and Mullah Nasiem, all regional commanders of the militia. None are believed to be in the senior inner circle close to Mullah Mohammed Omar, who has been on the run since his government was ousted in late 2001.
"Our forces captured them without firing even a single shot," the governor said. He said the Taliban commanders were planning attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.
The captured men later told their Afghan interrogators that some more Taliban commanders along with their fighters were hiding in Kishai mountains in Shah Wali Kot district, about 95 miles north of Kandahar.
"After getting this information, we sent our forces there on Sunday, who after a shootout killed six Taliban and captured two others," Mohammed said. He said the Afghan forces did not suffer any casualties.
Mohammed gave no further details. He also would not say who the dead and two captured Taliban were.
Tarinkot is about 45 miles north of Kandahar (search), once the stronghold of the Taliban militia whose government was toppled as a result of U.S.-led operation in Afghanistan in late 2001.
Taliban rebels often target Afghan and coalition forces in many parts of Afghanistan.
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