Taliban leader killed in eastern Afghan province

A local Taliban leader was killed in an operation in eastern Ghazni province 100 km south of Afghan capital Kabul on Saturday, in the latest raid as part of an increased campaign against insurgents in the country, the NATO-led coalition forces said Sunday. "An Afghan and coalition force killed Taliban leader Mohammad Haydar during a security operation in Ghazni province Saturday. Mohammad Haydar, also known as Hamzah, facilitated attacks against Afghan and coalition forces based in the area," the coalition said in a press release providing daily operational updates. In Helmand province, some 555 km south of Kabul, the joint forces killed a Taliban leader Ahmad Jan during a security operation on Friday. "Ahmad Jan was considered an expert in constructing and placing IEDs (Improvised Explosive Device) for attacks against Afghan and coalition forces throughout the province," it said. Earlier Sunday, another Afghan and coalition forces unit arrested a number of insurgents during a security operation in search of a Taliban leader in Helmand province. The Taliban leader conducts direct attacks on Afghan and coalition forces and provides lethal support to the Taliban insurgency. In addition, the joint forces killed a number of insurgents who were engaged in insurgent activity in eastern Logar province 60 km south of Kabul on Saturday, said the release. The Afghan forces and some 100,000 NATO-led coalition troops have intensified cleanup operations against Taliban and other militants throughout the country recently but the insurgents in retaliation responded by carrying out suicide attacks and roadside bombings especially in southern and eastern parts of the country. A child was killed and 45 Afghan army soldiers and eight civilians were wounded in a Taliban suicide bombing in eastern Paktia province on Wednesday.