Senior TTP commander arrested in Afghan east: officials

KABUL: Afghan security forces captured a top Pakistani Taliban commander during an operation in eastern Afghanistan, security officials said on Tuesday, in a move that could help improve trust between the two countries.

The arrest on Monday of Maulvi Faqir Mohammad, a regional commander of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), was hailed as a "big blow" to the movement by an Afghan interior ministry official.

Mohammad was captured during a raid in Nangarhar province by members of the Afghan intelligence agency, the National Directorate of Security (NDS), and Afghan police officers, according to officials from NDS and the Afghan interior ministry.

He was responsible for several attacks against Pakistani forces and was known for his strict implementation of Islamic law in Bajaur.