Senior Afghan Taliban commander killed in air strike

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A top commander of the Taliban was killed in Afghanistan's southern province of Helmand in a joint operation by Afghan and U.S. Special Forces, Afghan officials and Taliban members confirmed on Sunday.

Abdul Manan, who was in charge of Helmand province for the insurgent group, was killed along with 29 others by an air strike on Saturday while he was meeting local commanders and fighters in the Nawzad district, said Mohammad Yasin Khan, Helmand's governor.

His death was confirmed by Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid and by the U.S. military, which said Afghan forces had gone on the offensive with U.S. support, notably through precision air strikes to push the Taliban to accept peace talks.

U.S. marines at the Shorab military camp in Helmand province, Afghanistan, January 15, 2018. /AP photo

"They're going to have trouble intensifying the fight when their fighters and leaders are under constant assault. Peace talks are the only solution," Col Dave Butler, spokesperson for U.S. Forces in Afghanistan, said in an emailed statement.

The death of Mullah Manan was seen as a major success by Afghan officials.

The report of Manan's death comes as both Western-backed security forces and Taliban have pushed to gain the momentum at the same time as efforts have stepped up to find a peaceful settlement to end the 17-year war in Afghanistan.

(Top image: Senior Taliban leader Abdul Manan delivers a speech to his fighters in Shindand district of Herat province, Afghanistan, May 27, 2016. /AP photo)

Source(s): Reuters