A TOP Taliban leader has been wiped out by an Apache gunship while riding a motorbike in Afghanistan.
SBS commandos lying in hiding had identified terrorist Mullah Mansur, blamed for organising suicide attacks on British troops.
Target ... map shows where Mullah Mansur was killed
The crack team then called in a pair of Apaches, which had been circling nearby just out of earshot, to take him out.
Victim ... Corporal Kumar Pun
A deadly burst from one chopper's powerful 30mm calibre chain gun instantly killed Mansur and two henchmen who were also on motorbikes.
Mansur was described as "one of the most dangerous" Taliban warlords.
He is thought to have masterminded the suicide bomber attack which killed Sergeant Ben Ross, of the Royal Military Police, and Gurkha Corporal Kumar Pun in May.
Lieut Col Nick Richardson, the spokesman for Task Force Helmand, said last night: "UK forces conducted a successful precision strike against one of the most dangerous men in Helmand - and who we consider the most dangerous man in the central area around Lashkar Gah.
Killed ... Sergeant Ben Ross
"The attacks he helped plan and execute have probably killed or wounded hundreds of people - most of them civilians or police.
"This operation was the culmination of months of effort and the strike was carefully coordinated and checked to ensure no civilians were in the area.
"Mansur's death is the latest in a series of prominent insurgent commanders and signals another serious blow to the insurgency."
The 60-strong SBS squadron have had huge success in their three-year covert campaign to decapitate the Taliban leadership.
A source said of Mansur: "We really didn't want this guy to get away after what he had done. It was a very dangerous operation."
Good on the Apache pilots,a job well done and a jihad on AL-Quida or however they spell it. Stupid name anyway.
Check out www.e-bay.afghanistan for bike spares.
![Taliban beast is blitzed...on his motorbike - Forums [Biker Match]](/images/backgrounds/strips/8mobileLQ.jpg)
![Taliban beast is blitzed...on his motorbike - Forums [Biker Match]](/images/backgrounds/strips/8desktopLQ.jpg)
