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Top Taliban commander captured, U.S. official says

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • Senior administration official: Taliban's top military leader is captured
  • His name is Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar; he was captured in Pakistan
  • CNN analyst Peter Bergen: This is a "huge deal"
RELATED TOPICS
  • The Taliban
  • Pakistan

Washington (CNN) -- The Taliban's top military leader, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, has been captured, a senior administration official told CNN late Monday.

This is a "huge deal," CNN National Security Analyst Peter Bergen said. "This guy ... is the number two political figure in the Taliban" in addition to being the group's top military commander.

Baradar was captured several days ago in a secret joint operation by Pakistani and American intelligence forces in Karachi, Pakistan, according to American government officials, the New York Times reported.