Insurgent faction helping Afghan Govt. to fight Taliban

London, July 10 (ANI): The Hizb-i-Islami, a powerful insurgent faction, is reported to be supplying intelligence to the Afghan Government, leading to the killing and capture of several Taliban commanders.

According to The Telegraph, the group, led by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, is one of three main insurgent factions that had earlier battled Hamid Karzai and his international backers.

An Afghan general has said that Taliban leaders in Baghlan and Kunduz provinces have been located after tip-offs from the Hizb-i-Islami group.

"We get intelligence on the Taliban's whereabouts and movements, especially their commanders, from members of Hizb-i-Islami, the flow of intelligence is working very well. It really helps us eliminate those who pose a serious security threat," the paper quoted General Murad Ali Murad, commander of the Afghan 209th Corps in northern Afghanistan, as saying.

However, fighters from the former allies clashed in the northern province of Baghlan in early March and dozens of fighters from Hizb-i-Islami sought government protection.

The faction further distanced itself from the Taliban by sending a delegation to Kabul to deliver a 15-point peace proposal to Hamid Karzai. The plan was not accepted, but both sides described the discussions as positive.

The general also said that this group is helping them to eliminate those who pose a serious security threat to the nation.

NATO has reported a string of assassinations of Taliban leaders in Baghlan in recent months.

Mullah Ruhullah, the Taliban shadow governor for Baghlan, and his deputy was killed in May. His immediate successor, Mawlawi Jabbar, died in an air strike only a fortnight later and two further successors have been captured. (ANI)