NATO arrests Afghan journalist allegedly working with insurgents

NATO arrests Afghan journalist allegedly working with insurgents

2010-12-04 17:08:39 GMT+7 (ICT)

KABUL (BNO NEWS) -- Afghan and coalition forces have arrested a suspected insurgent leader along with several of his associates, one who was identified as a journalist working for the Pajhwok Afghan News agency, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said on Saturday.

ISAF said a joint force conducted an operation in the Yabubi area of Sabari district in Khost province on late Friday evening. "The target of the operation was a Haqqani leader, who has conducted direct fire and [improvised explosive device] attacks on Afghan and coalition forces," said U.S. Army Major Sunset Belinsky, referring to an insurgent group which is closely allied with the Taliban.

The alliance said its forces went to a compound in the Yabubi area where they called for all occupants to exit the buildings peacefully before. They then went in and cleared the building.

"The forces conducting the operation detained the Haqqani leader and four of his associates," Belinsky said. "One of the associates identified himself as a journalist for Pajhwok."

Pajhwok Afghan News identified the journalist as Mali Khan and said his three brothers were also arrested. "One of them an employee of the transport department and another recently returned from Dubai," Pajhwok said.

Pajhwok is an Afghan news agency and was founded in 2004 by Danish Karokhel and Farida Nekzad, who were both among the recipients of the 2008 International Press Freedom Awards by the Committee to Project Journalists.

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