Officials Confirm Deaths of Taliban Leaders in Helmand

From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release

KABUL, Afghanistan, March 25, 2013 – Afghan and coalition military officials today confirmed that two key Taliban leaders in Afghanistan’s Helmand province were killed in recent operations.

Taliban leader Tamim was killed in a March 18 operation in the province’s Nahr-e Saraj district, and Gul Ahmad Akhund was killed a day earlier in the Nad-e Ali district.

Tamim was responsible for planning and directing attacks against Afghan and coalition forces, facilitating weapons to fighters throughout Helmand, and serving as a vital link in the local Taliban’s intelligence apparatus, officials said. He also served as a member in illegitimate Taliban judicial proceedings and actively recruited civilians to join insurgent cells.

Akhund had operational control over a cell of insurgent fighters directly responsible for numerous attacks targeting Afghan and coalition forces, officials said. He was instrumental in acquiring and distributing weapons and ammunition to his fighters.