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KABUL,Afghanistan-Afghan forces said Tuesday that they killed a Taliban commander behind the kidnapping of South Korean church workers, less than a week after the hostages were let go under a deal seen as a propaganda coup for the hard-line Islamic militia.A Taliban spokesman denied any of its commanders was killed, and accused the government of exaggerating the group's battlefield losses. Afghan and U.S.-led coalition forces said at least 39 suspected insurgents had been killed in several clashes since Monday.The Taliban commander, Mullah Mateen, was killed along with 16 other militants in fighting late Monday and early Tuesday in the central province of Ghazni,where the insurgents seized 23 South Koreans on July 19, said Ghazni Deputy Gov. Kazim Allayar and a senior police officer.Ghazni has seen several military operations since the captives' release Aug. 29 and Aug. 30, possibly reflecting a desire by the Afghan government to assert its authority on the rebellious region following the abductions.Allayar said Mateen played a key role in the kidnapping, including telephone negotiations with the government in the early days of the crisis. He said another Taliban leader also wanted for the abduction, Mullah Abdullah Jan, remained at large.Taliban spokesman Qari Yousef Ahmadi said seven insurgents were killed in the overnight clash, and described all of them as ordinary fighters. He said the Taliban did not have a commander called Mullah Mateen.In the past, Afghan authorities have often made claims to have killed local Taliban commanders that turned out to be wrong.At the same time,Taliban spokesman have played down or lied about their battlefield losses...To read more go to:
As in the days of Noah...
