Two men captured during two operations conducted last month in Khost province, Afghanistan, helped plan attacks against Afghan and coalition forces as part of the Haqqani network, military officials say.
One of them, named Shaswar, also known as Sheik Shaswar, was a subcommander in charge of a cell responsible for bombs for the anti-U.S. network.
Shaswar, 33, was seized March 13 during an operation targeting him, according to a news release issued Sunday by Combined Joint Task Force-101. He was directly involved in attacks and was known to use his home for planning attacks with the members of his cell, officials say.
Mullah Izatullah, 29, was detained March 18 during an operation targeting his brother Bismullah, a Haqqani network fighter who was killed during the operation.
Izatullah was a Ghazni Taliban commander who worked with foreign fighters, officials say, and was associated with the Haqqani network through his brother.
Both Shaswar and Izatullah were apprehended in the Nader Shah Kot district of Khost, southeast of Kabul, officials say.