NATO confirms killing 2 top Taliban in Kapisa raid

KABUL commanders in an airstrike in central Kapisa province on July 22, a statement from the alliance Resolute Support (RS) mission said.

 “I can confirm that Mullah Nasim Mushfaq, Taliban shadow governor for Kapisa, and Qari Ehsanullah, Taliban district shadow governor of Tagab, were among those killed during the Afghan-led operation,” the statement quoted RS spokesman Lt. Col. Martin L. O’Donnell as saying.

Advised by US Special Operations Forces, the Afghan Special Security Forces raid resulted in the death of 15 other Taliban fighters and the detention of two more.

The Afghan National Army’s 201st Corps, enabled by NATO’s Train, Advise and Assist Command-East, maneuvered forces into Tagab district to support the effort, capitalising on the disruption to the insurgent group to engage local elders on reconciliation.

“This marks a momentous period where a group of ruthless terrorists, who were given an opportunity to reconcile but chose otherwise, were removed from the fight,” said US Army Brig. Gen. John Brennan, Train, Advise and Assist Command-East commander. “This should bring more reconcilable Taliban members to the negotiating table as they see how every enemy of Afghanistan is brought to justice.”

The Taliban leaders were known to have coordinated or directly participated in attacks against both US and Afghan forces in the province.

Ehsanullah was also known to have emplaced a countless number of improvised explosive devices, endangering Afghan civilians north of Kabul, where his network carried out attacks.

 The Taliban confirmed the death of its two leaders in a statement on July 23.

“Mushfaq and Ehsanullah, two Taliban irreconcilables, were impediments to peace,” said O’Donnell.

“Their removal delivers a critical blow to the Taliban network in the central region of Afghanistan, and opens an opportunity for reconciliation and a peaceful settlement.”

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