The Coalition forces identified one of the militants killed in a Dec. 2 strike in the lawless Musa Qaleh district of southern Afghan Helmand province as former Taliban senior commander Mullah Ikhalas, said a Coalition press release issued here on Wednesday.
During an aircraft employed munition strike on a vehicle in Musa Qaleh district on Sunday, the Coalition forces killed the occupants including Mullah Ikhalas and three other unidentified militants, it said, adding that there was no immediate indications of injuries or deaths to civilians.
Mullah Ikhalas, according to the press release, a senior Taliban commander active in the Musa Qaleh district, is reported to be responsible for the March 5 kidnapping of Italian journalist, Daniele Mastrogiacomo, his interpreter, and his driver.
Mastrogiacomo's interpreter and driver were executed by Taliban insurgents.
Reports also indicated Ikhalas was responsible for a number of mortar attacks on coalition bases as well as several IED (improvised explosive device) attacks, the press release said.
"The death of Mullah Ikhalas is a significant blow to the Taliban command structure in Afghanistan," it quoted Chris Belcher, a Coalition spokesperson, as saying.
Source: Xinhua
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