Afghanistan, Kabul, 24September / corr Trend A. Hakimi / Two suspected militants allegedly involved in suicide bombings arrested
US-led coalition troops have arrested three suspected members of the Haqqani terror network, including two of the militant group's commanders, the coalition said.
The militants, accused of co-ordinating and conducting roadside bombings and suicide attacks, were arrested in the south-eastern province of Khost on Tuesday, the coalition said in a statement.
US-led troops believe the Haqqani fighters also helped militants cross the border from Pakistan to carry out attacks on Afghan soil.
Jalaluddin Haqqani, who is accused of having close ties to Al-Qaeda, is the Taliban's leader in south-east Afghanistan and was one of the main recipients of US funds during the mujahideen's resistance against the Soviet invasion.
Haqqani broke a seven-year silence in August, vowing in a videotape to increase attacks against US and NATO "invaders" in Afghanistan.
"The Americans said the Taliban was beaten and defeated but we are not defeated," Haqqani says in the tape, his face appearing next to images of Taliban attacks, including a suicide bombing of an American compound in Afghanistan
.
"It was our tactical plan to fade away and prepare for a guerrilla war. We will defeat [George] Bush [the US president] and continue our jihad until doomsday," he said.
In July, Haqqani's family said one of Jalaluddin's sons had been killed in a battle with Afghan troops.
The government linked the Haqqani network to the assassination attempt on President Karzai in April.