KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Officials say two senior leaders of the al-Qaida-linked Haqqani network have been arrested by the Afghan intelligence service in eastern Khost province.
The National Directorate of Security said in a statement Thursday that Anis Haqqani, a brother of the network’s leader, and Hafiz Rashid, a senior commander of the network, were arrested in a special operation on Tuesday. It did not provide further details.
The statement said Anis Haqqani was an expert in computers and use of propaganda through social networks. He allegedly played a key role in the group’s strategic decisions as a deputy to his brother, network leader Sirajuddin Haqqani.
The Pakistan-based militant group, which has ties to al-Qaeda as well as the Taliban, has carried out numerous attacks against both domestic and foreign security forces in Afghanistan.