Sixteen al-Qaeda and Taliban suspects, including a former deputy governor of Helmand province of Afghanistan, have been arrested in various raids in the south-western Pakistani city of Quetta. "Yes, we have arrested 16 suspects in different raids conducted in Pashtoonabad and Kharotabad areas of the city," DIG of Police, Quetta Rafi Pervez Bhatti said.
The suspects, which included some top functionaries of Taliban, belong to different parts of Afghanistan where they served on important posts during the Taliban regime, he said.
"The police are questioning the suspects", Bhatti was quoted as saying by the local media Saturday.
Those arrested included a former deputy governor of Helmand province of Afghanistan identified as Mullah Khushdil Khan, former Afghan police chief Mullah Muhammad Ibrahim, former police chief of Mizar-e-Sharif Abdul Nabi and others.
The arrests followed a tip-off that the militants were hiding in Pashtoonabad and Kharotabad area, Bhatti said adding that police teams constituted for the purpose raided the areas and apprehended the suspects. During the raids, the police teams arrested about 40 accused, including these 16 suspects.
The detainees belong to banned religious outfits wanted in different cases. Further investigations were on. The officials declined to disclose the identity of other suspects.
Sources said that after the investigation, the suspects would be handed over to the Afghan government.
The restive south-west Balochistan province bordering Iran and Afghanistan has seen repeated attacks on the Pakistan army and number of key oil and gas installations.
More reports from Pakistan
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