A militant Afghan group is supplying intelligence on the Taliban to government and foreign troops leading to the capture or death of several commanders in the north, senior officials have said. In what could signal a split within the insurgency, Hezb-i-Islami fighters have been tipping off US and Afghan forces over the past few months, revealing locations of key Taliban figures in Baghlan and Kunduz provinces, said General Murad Ali Murad, commander of Afghan troops in the north.
"We get intelligence on the Taliban's whereabouts and movements, especially their commanders, from members of Hezb-i-Islami," Murad told Reuters in a telephone interview. "The flow of intelligence is working very well. It really helps us eliminate those who pose a serious security threat," said Murad, who commands the 209th Army Corps in northern Afghanistan. A senior Afghan provincial official in the north confirmed Murad's reports. "Intelligence comes from the armed forces of Hezb-i-Islami. We buy information from the fighters," said the official who spoke on condition of anonymity.