UK soldiers kill Taleban leader

British forces are part of a campaign targeting the leadership of the Taleban

British troops in Afghanistan have delivered a "shattering blow" to the Taleban by killing one of its senior leaders, the Ministry of Defence says.

Abdul Rasaq, also known as Mullah Sheikh, died in a missile strike about 10 miles north of Musa Qala in Helmand province just after midnight on Sunday.

He is believed to be responsible for leading insurgents around Musa Qala.

Mullah Sheikh is the third senior Taleban leader to be killed in just over three weeks, the MoD said.

The most senior Taleban leader in the province, Mullah Rahim, gave himself up in Pakistan just hours before Mullah Sheikh's death.

'Lack direction'

The MoD also said an associate of Rahim, known as Bishmullah, was killed eight days before, and bomb-maker Sadiqullah was killed in a missile strike by an Apache helicopter 24 days earlier.

British forces spokesman Lt Col Robin Matthews said: "The Taleban's senior leadership structure has suffered a shattering blow.

"They remain a dangerous enemy, but they increasingly lack strategic direction and their proposition to the Afghan people is proving ultimately negative and self-defeating."

British troops are part of Nato forces currently conducting a campaign targeting the leadership of the Taleban.