Taliban Commander Linked To Iran And Al Queda Targeted In Farah

From The Long War Journal:


Taliban commander linked to Iran and al Qaeda targeted in Farah

By Bill RoggioNovember 25, 2010







Southwestern Afghanistan, including Farah province, and the Iranian border region. Click to view larger map.



Coalition and Afghan special operations teams targeted another Taliban commander linked to al Qaeda and other terror groups operating in western Afghanistan during a raid yesterday.



The combined special operations team "targeted a key foreign-fighter facilitator in Farah district ... after intelligence reports indicated his recent return to Afghanistan from Iran," the International Security Assistance Force stated in a press release. The Taliban commander, who was not named, was not reported to have been captured during the raid.



The commander "provides a conduit for foreign fighters from an array of terrorist networks, including Al Qaeda, to enter the country and fight for the Taliban," ISAF stated. "The insurgent acts on behalf of terrorist cells to move foreign fighters into Farah and Helmand via Iran."



Farah province is a known haven for al Qaeda and allied terror groups, and is a main transit point for foreign fighters and Iranian aid flowing into Afghanistan. The presence of al Qaeda cells has been detected in the districts of Bakwah, Balu Barak, Farah, Gulistan, and Pusht-e Rod; or five of Farah's 11 districts, according to an investigation by The Long War Journal.



Coalition and Afghan forces have heavily targeted al Qaeda nodes in Farah province this year. Eight raids against al Qaeda-linked cells have been reported by ISAF this year. Since July, special operations teams have killed three al Qaeda-linked Taliban commanders; Mullah Aktar, Sabayer Saheb, and Mullah Janan, and captured another, who was not named.



Iran has supported the Taliban, providing weapons, money, safe haven, training, and facilities for Taliban commanders and fighters, while allowing al Qaeda operatives to move through and shelter in its territory. Qods Force, the special operations branch of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, has tasked the Ansar Corps, a sub-command, with aiding the Taliban and other terror groups in Afghanistan. [For more information on the Ansar Corps and Iran's support for the Taliban and al Qaeda in Afghanistan, see LWJ report, Coalition and Afghan forces kill Taliban commander linked to Iran, al Qaeda.]













Read more: http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2010/11/taliban_commander_li_3.php#ixzz16LZdsr00