link>KABUL - At least five senior leaders of the Al-Qaeda terrorist network were killed in an operation of the Afghan security forces in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan.
The provincial government media office said Friday that the senior leaders of the Al-Qaeda network were killed in an operation conducted by the Special Forces of the Afghan intelligence directorate.
According to an official statement, the five senior Al-Qaeda network leaders, hailing from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Chechnya, were actively involved in planning and coordinating suicide attacks in the country.
The statement further added that three of those killed hailed from Chechnya, one hailed from Afghanistan, and one of them was a Pakistani national.
At least two others have also been arrested during the operation conducted in Shirzad district of Nangarhar province, the statement added.
The provincial government also added that the Afghan national killed in the operation has been identified as Mullah Sundi who was also famous as Siraj and was actively involved in spreading propaganda in favor of the terrorists.
At least four Ak-47 rifles, a PKM machine gun, a pistol and some ammunition were also confiscated, the statement said, adding that the local residents and security personnel have not suffered any casualties during the operation.
The anti-government armed militant groups including the Taliban and Al-Qaeda affiliates have not commented regarding the report so far.