KABUL – A German national believed to be a military adviser to the Talibanin Afghanistan has been arrested in the insurgency-racked province ofHelmand, officials told AFP late Wednesday.

“A man with a long beard, wearing a black turban who identified himself asa German link> citizen and speaks Dutch, wastaken along with three other suspected Talibanlink> on Monday night in Gereshk district ofHelmand province,” said Omar Zwak, the provincial governor’s spokesman.

Gereshk police chief Ismail Khplwak said the man ─ who was detained byAfghan Special Forces during a night raid ─ was the “military adviser ofMullah Nasir”, commander of theTaliban link> ‘selite “Red Unit” in Helmand.

Photographs taken by the Afghan military show a man who looks to be in his40s with a long reddish-brown beard speckled with grey, and wearing a blackturban.

He is flanked by two members of the Afghan Special Forces dressed in combatgear and with night vision goggles pulled up onto their helmets.

The man is dressed in traditional Afghan dress worn under a khaki militaryjacket.

Much of opium-rich Helmand inAfghanistanlink> ‘s south remains controlled orcontested by theTaliban link> who are heavilyreliant on the proceeds of drug trafficking to fuel their insurgency.

The Taliban link> ‘s Red Units serve as theinsurgents’ special forces and have carried out many fatal attacks on theAfghan army and police. – APP /AFP –