Australian SAS stealth nabs Taliban commander in Afghanistan

A TWO-YEAR manhunt in Afghanistan has ended with the capture of one of the Taliban's leading commanders and bomb makers in Oruzgan Province.

 

Australian special forces troops from the Perth-based SAS Regiment and the Sydney-based Commando Regiment, along with Afghan police, netted Mullah Faqir and three other fighters north of Tarin Kowt.

His capture on April 12 came just a few weeks after three other bomb makers including senior Taliban commander Mullah Janan Andewahl were caught by Australian forces.

The Taliban strongman and his followers were handed over to Dutch authorities at Tarin Kowt where they were held in a high security prison at Camp Russell before being transferred to local authorities for processing.

A Defence statement said Mullah Faqir was the mastermind behind bomb attacks in the Mirabad Valley during March that wounded four Diggers and three Afghans.


Australian commander Major- General John Cantwell said Faqir was a key insurgency commander.

"His capture represents a significant blow to the Taliban's ability to plan and co-ordinate attacks against the Mirabad Valley population and against Australian, Afghan and coalition forces working to bring security to that area," Maj-Gen Cantwell said.

The Australian Special Operations Task Group has captured dozens of Taliban leaders and insurgent fighters during a long operation against bomb makers.

They have also destroyed a large amount of bomb components.

Capturing insurgent commanders is highly risky work that involves months of stealthy surveillance by specialist SAS soldiers who are inserted by vehicle or helicopter.

They can blend into the landscape and remain isolated and hidden for weeks on end.

Once the target is confirmed, the SAS men call in the Commandos and their Afghan police comrades to conduct the raid and snatch their quarry, usually in the early hours of the morning.