Taleban commander denies killing Indian engineer

The abduction and murder of Indian engineer Maniappan Raman Kutty was not the work of the Taleban, said a high-ranking Taleban commander. “The kidnapping and killing of the Indian engineer was not done by the Taleban. The work of constructing roads does not hurt the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, so we will not kill these innocent persons. It was done by the enemies of Afghanistan,” said Mullah Dost Mohammad Akhund, Taleban commander in charge of southwestern Afghanistan, a black turban covering his face, in an exclusive interview with Tolo TV. Taleban spokesman Qari Yousuf Ahmadi had previously claimed responsibility for the kidnapping and murder of Maniappan, who was abducted on November 19 along with his Afghan bodyguards in the southern province of Nimroz. Maniappan’s body was found three days later. The Afghans were released unharmed.