Taliban leader sentenced to death by Afghan court

Islamabad[Pakistan]: A local court in Afghanistan has sentenced Taliban commander Sirajuddin Haqqani’s brother Anas Haqqani to death, reports said.

The Express Tribune quoted media reports as suggesting that Baseer Aziz, spokesperson for the office of attorney general has confirmed that a primary court awarded death sentence to Anas.

He, however, refused to comment on when and where the verdict was handed down.

Anas was captured by United States security officials after he visited Qatar in October, 2014, along with another leader Hafiz Rashid.

The U.S. officials later handed over Anas to Afghan authorities.

The Taliban had earlier confirmed Anas and Rashid’s detention, adding that the two had travelled to Qatar to meet Taliban leaders released from Guantanamo.

The Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid is yet to comment on the matter.

Meanwhile, the Afghan legal experts have said that local court convicts have the right to appeal in high court, as well as the Supreme Court.

While the Afghan officials say that Anas was taking care of fundraising for the Haqqani network, the Taliban, claimed he was a student, who held no position in the organisation.

The insurgent group had also accused Washington of violating an understanding reached during the exchange of prisoners, which allowed relatives to visit freed Guantanamo inmates. (ANI)