Taliban say Ismail alive, healthy

KABUL Ismail had been killed along with 25 key figures for holding clandestine peace talks with the United States.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a government official said on Monday that the prominent insurgent leader was killed by Pakistan) on Saturday.

Before being killed, Ismail was reportedly detained in Pakistan’s southwestern city of Quetta on charges of holding secret parleys with the US and Afghan government.

But a Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, described reports about Ismail’s killing as false, saying it was propaganda by the group’s s rivals.

Ismail was alive and in a good health, he added.

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