 | See update in RD's comment below, that's a fairly convincing 'Dadullah as Deader' still life portrait. |
The Taliban's top operational commander, Mullah Dadullah, has been killed in a clash in Afghanistan, security officials said on Sunday. "Mullah Dadullah has been killed and his body is in Kandahar," said Saeed Ansari, spokesman for the intelligence department. | 24 hour and/or official US military statement rule in effect, but I'm breaking out the good scotch just in case... |
Another intelligence official said the one-legged Dadullah was killed in a clash with Afghan troops in the southern province of Helmand on Saturday night.| "We found only one leg so we think it was him..." |
Apart from leading most Taliban attacks in the south, the notorious Dadullah was also believed to be behind a series of kidnappings of foreigners and Afghans. There have been several reports over recent years that Dadullah had been killed or captured. | Missed him by *that* much! |
If confirmed, his death would be a heavy blow for the Taliban, fighting to regain absolute dictatorial power expel foreign troops since they were ousted in a U.S.-led offensive after the September 11, 2001, attacks.| Poor li'l beleaguered Talibunnies, bereft first of their Dignity™ and then of their spiritual guide. O whatever is to become of them? |
He would also be the most important Taliban killed since then. In December, U.S.-led forces killed another top Taliban official, Mullah Mohammad Akhtar Osmani, in an air attack in the south of the country after a tip-off by Pakistan. |