Afghan Troops Arrest Anti-Govt Leader

Afghan law enforcing agencies have arrested a senior leader of anti-government militants in eastern Afghanistan, spokesman of Defense Ministry said. "Our forces captured Mawlawi Najibullah, a commander of Gulbudin Hekmatyar's group, in Omar village in Manugai district," Zahir Azimi told reporters. Nijibullah's capture is taking place amid the ongoing military operation "the Mountain Lion" in the eastern region to wipe out the militants. The operation was launched 17 days ago and would continue till the elimination of militants from the region, said Azimi. However, he did not give the exact date of Najibullah's capture.Hekmatyar, a wanted man by the United States and former Prime Minister of Afghanistan, has termed the U.S. dominated foreign troops in his country as "occupation forces" and vowed to continue Jihad or holy war till their withdrawal from the war-ravaged country. Leading a radical Islamic group, the "Hizb-e-Islami Afghanistan", Hekmatyar in his rare statements from unknown locations calls on Afghans to sate uprising against foreign troops. Over two dozen supporters of Hekmatyar, including a commander from Kunar province, have laid down arms and joined the government over the past one month, according to government officials. But sources close to Hekmatyar rejected the claim, saying any one joining government does not represent him.