U.S. Special Forces have arrested the deputy head of the Taliban in Waziristan.
Part of Operation Achilles, perhaps, and an important development, if true.
It also seems that former Afghan prime minister and rebel leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar has cut ties with the Taliban.
“It was not a good move by the Taliban to disassociate themselves from the joint struggle,” he said. “Presently we have no contact with the Taliban. In fact, Hezb-i Islami [Hekmatyar’s militia] is the only party in Afghanistan which has the capability to form a strong, stable Islamic government in Afghanistan.”
Hard to tell what all of this means, but it certainly indicates that it will be a dicey summer for U.S. and NATO forces in the region. Just yesterday, a Taliban 'Commander' said that they have a large number of forces ready to die fight.
"The Taliban know traditional fighting," he said. "If we need to fight in a group, we will. If we need a suicide attack, we will do that. If we need ambushes and guerrilla fighting, we will do that."
Operation 'Achilles' has been going on for several days and is focused in the lawless regions of northern Helmand, where the Taliban reportedly has some 4,000 fighters. It should also be noted that more intelligence has been coming in regarding HVT's, which might 9hopefully) include Osama bin Laden, who may he hiding in either Waziristan or Pakistan, according to U.S. Intel sources.
Deb at Right Truth thinks that ObL's silence of late - and the ratcheting up of efforts to find him - might not bode well.
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