Taliban leader killed

The Herald reports:

A senior Taliban leader thought to be behind a roadside bombing in which three New Zealand soldiers died has reportedly been killed by coalition forces.

Prime Minister John Key today confirmed Abdullah Kalta died in the Afghanistan airstrike.

New Zealand soldiers Lance Corporal Jacinda Baker, Private Richard Harris and Corporal Luke Tamatea were killed in August when their Humvee struck an improvised explosive device.

New Zealand personnel were not involved in the attack on Kalta but coalition forces could have used intelligence gathered by New Zealand SAS troops, Mr Key said on TVNZ’s Breakfast show.

“We weren’t physically involved but it was almost certainly intelligence that New Zealand people have been gathering over there.

“It was in the northeastern part of Bamiyan province. If that is the case, and that seems to be the information we have, then I think that’s good news if it makes Afghanistan a safer place for our people.”

It is good news. Hopefully it means our troops complete their mission with no further causalities.