...KABOOM!...
killed a prominent Taliban
...the Pashtun equivalent of men...
leader who was in charge of high-tech weapons of the group in northern Balkh province.
The Ministry of Defense in a statement said a precision airstrike killed Mohammad Gul alias Abu Bakar in Chemtal district of Balkh province at around 5:30 pm local time on Sunday.
The statement further added that the security forces conducted the airstrike in Dilbar Village of Chemtal district.
According to Ministry of Defense Gul Mohammad was a prominent Taliban leader who was in charge of high-tech weapons including thermal-scoped rifles and night vision-equipped snipers.
The Taliban group has not commented regarding the killing of Gul Mohammad so far.
Balkh was among the relatively peaceful provinces in North of Afghanistan but the security situation has tanked in some of its remote districts during the recent years as Talibs attempt to expand their foothold in this key northern province.