Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ISLAMABAD1021
2007-03-03 08:38:00
SECRET
Embassy Islamabad
Cable title:
PAK SECURITY FORCES CAPTURE HIGH-LEVEL TALIBAN
how-toVZCZCXRO4262 OO RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHLH RUEHPW DE RUEHIL #1021 0620838 ZNY SSSSS ZZH O 030838Z MAR 07 FM AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7430 INFO RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY ALMATY PRIORITY 9854 RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT PRIORITY 2001 RUEHEK/AMEMBASSY BISHKEK PRIORITY 4072 RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO PRIORITY 1210 RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA PRIORITY 1986 RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE PRIORITY RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 6882 RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU PRIORITY 7918 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 5234 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 0453 RUEHNT/AMEMBASSY TASHKENT PRIORITY 2736 RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA PRIORITY 0898 RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI PRIORITY 3249 RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI PRIORITY 4983 RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE PRIORITY 1587 RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI PRIORITY 3630 RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR PRIORITY 9884 RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 1940 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
S E C R E T ISLAMABAD 001021
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/01/2017
TAGS: AF PK PREL PTER
SUBJECT: PAK SECURITY FORCES CAPTURE HIGH-LEVEL TALIBAN
LEADER MULLAH OBAIDULLAH AKHUND
Classified By: Ambassador Ryan Crocker, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
S E C R E T ISLAMABAD 001021
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/01/2017
TAGS: AF PK PREL PTER
SUBJECT: PAK SECURITY FORCES CAPTURE HIGH-LEVEL TALIBAN
LEADER MULLAH OBAIDULLAH AKHUND
Classified By: Ambassador Ryan Crocker, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (U) Local newspapers reported on March 2 that Pakistani
security forces had captured high-ranking Taliban leader
Mullah Obaidullah Akhund, along with up to five others, on
February 26 in Quetta. An anonymous Pakistani official said
that two of those captured with Obaidullah "could be" Amir
Khan Haqqani, a Taliban commander in Zabul, and Abdul Bari,
the former governor of Helmand province.
2. (S/NF) This is Obaidullah,s second arrest. He
surrendered to Afghan security forces in early 2002, but was
later released as part of a broad Taliban amnesty deal with
the Afghan government.
3. (S/NF) Comment: This is an important arrest. Many consider
Obaidullah to be the military chief of the Taliban forces and
the third highest ranking Taliban member. He is also one of
the most senior Taliban officials arrested since the group
was ousted from power in November 2001. Obaidullah is reputed
to be a key Taliban fund-raiser who was responsible for
doling out operational funds. Some observers believe
Obaidullah's capture could cause logistical and
organizational disruptions, albeit only temporarily. End
Comment.
CROCKER
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/01/2017
TAGS: AF PK PREL PTER
SUBJECT: PAK SECURITY FORCES CAPTURE HIGH-LEVEL TALIBAN
LEADER MULLAH OBAIDULLAH AKHUND
Classified By: Ambassador Ryan Crocker, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (U) Local newspapers reported on March 2 that Pakistani
security forces had captured high-ranking Taliban leader
Mullah Obaidullah Akhund, along with up to five others, on
February 26 in Quetta. An anonymous Pakistani official said
that two of those captured with Obaidullah "could be" Amir
Khan Haqqani, a Taliban commander in Zabul, and Abdul Bari,
the former governor of Helmand province.
2. (S/NF) This is Obaidullah,s second arrest. He
surrendered to Afghan security forces in early 2002, but was
later released as part of a broad Taliban amnesty deal with
the Afghan government.
3. (S/NF) Comment: This is an important arrest. Many consider
Obaidullah to be the military chief of the Taliban forces and
the third highest ranking Taliban member. He is also one of
the most senior Taliban officials arrested since the group
was ousted from power in November 2001. Obaidullah is reputed
to be a key Taliban fund-raiser who was responsible for
doling out operational funds. Some observers believe
Obaidullah's capture could cause logistical and
organizational disruptions, albeit only temporarily. End
Comment.
CROCKER