Insurgent leader killed in eastern Afghan operation

An insurgent leader was killed Tuesday in an operation in eastern Afghan province of Kunar, the NATO-led coalition forces confirmed Saturday. "Afghan and coalition security forces confirmed today that the insurgent leader, Numan, and several other insurgents were killed during a security operation in Nari district, Kunar province, Tuesday," the coalition or International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said in a statement. Numan facilitated the movement of weapons and money in Kunar and provided direct support to senior insurgent leaders in the province, some 180 km east of Kabul. In addition, the Afghan and ISAF forces arrested a Taliban leader in Nahr-e Saraj district, Helmand province 555 km south of Kabul earlier Saturday, according to the statement. The captured Taliban leader distributes improvised explosive device (IED) materials, the statement said, adding "during the operation, the security force also detained one suspected insurgent and seized IED-making materials," The Taliban has been waging an insurgency since its regime was toppled by a U.S.-led invasion in late 2001. Currently there are about 100,000 NATO-led forces, with 68,000 of them Americans, stationed in the country to stop the Taliban from returning to power.