Afghan forces have arrested a senior Taliban commander accused of leading attacks against Afghan and U.S.-led troops based in the west of the country, a defense ministry spokesman said on Sunday. Haji Sultan, a division commander for the Taliban, was arrested with Mullah Mohammad Rahim, another senior Taliban official, in the western province of Farah on Saturday, said the spokesman, Zahir Azimy. "Haji Sultan was on the U.S. military black list and we handed him over to them for investigation," Azimy said. The U.S. military confirmed Sultan's arrest, describing him as a bomb maker, but said he was seized on Thursday. A Taliban commander, Mullah Dadullah, said by telephone from Mullah Dadullah then said, "Who are you going to believe, me or your lying eyes."
Asked if Sultan's arrest might help lead authorities to the fugitive Taliban leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar, Azimy said investigations would try to determine that.