Senior Haqqani leader held in Afghanistan: NATO

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KABUL: A senior Haqqani network leader in Afghanistan who is also the uncle of its de facto leader has been captured in the war-torn country, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force said Saturday.

"Security forces detained Haji Mali Khan, uncle of Siraj and Badruddin Haqqani and the senior Haqqani commander in Afghanistan," ISAF said in a statement, adding he was captured in southeast Afghanistan Tuesday.

The announcement came as the United States puts increasing pressure on Pakistan to take action against the Haqqani network, a Taliban-allied insurgent group blamed by officials for many attacks in the Afghan capital Kabul.(AFP)