KABUL — A militant who led operations in Afghanistan for an al-Qaeda-linked group has been captured in the north where his fighters joined the Taliban to attack Afghan and coalition forces, NATO said Friday.
The senior figure from the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan was apprehended in Kunduz province along with two of his associates, the coalition said.
NATO described the militant, whom it did not identify, as a key conduit between the IMU’s leadership in Pakistan and Taliban leadership in Afghanistan.
“He assisted both groups by directing insurgent movement for training and operations between the two countries, coordinating suicide, explosive device and mortar attacks against Afghan and coalition forces throughout northern Afghanistan,” the coalition said in a statement. The Associated Press
