Taleban arrest prominent Afghan

A prominent Afghan connected to the royal family has been arrested in Kabul.

Dr Hamidullah Tarzi was an economic minister or advisor in several Afghan governments.

He's been accused of selling property belonging to overseas exiles without proper authorisation.

His own property has been seized.

The BBC Kabul correspondent says Dr Tarzi is one of a small number of senior officials who stayed on in Kabul after the Taleban took power in 1996.

The Taleban say Dr Tarzi's crime is purely economic and there are no political reasons for his arrest.

But our correspondent says never before have the Taleban arrested such a prominent person for what is a relatively minor offence.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service