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Plot to kill Afghan governor foiled, U.S. says

  • Story Highlights
  • U.S. Military: Militant detained in assassination plot on provincial Afghan governor
  • Militant Zia Rahman seized in raid on Taliban safe house in Jalalabad
  • Local officials told U.S. military about plot on life of Nangarhar province governor
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KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) -- A militant was detained in a plot to assassinate a provincial Afghan governor, the U.S. military said Monday.

Afghan commandos, assisted by coalition forces, launched a raid Saturday on a Taliban safe house in Jalalabad and seized a militant identified as Zia Rahman.

The operation was undertaken after local officials told the U.S. military about an assassination plot against Gul Agah Sherzai, governor of Nangarhar province in eastern Afghanistan. Jalalabad is the capital of Nangarhar province.

The military calls Rahman a suicide bomb "facilitator," saying he is "responsible for transporting and training the potential suicide bomber."

There were no shots fired, and noncombatants weren't hurt during the raid.

The coalition has connected Rahman to other suicide car bomb attacks in Nangarhar, including a strike in November that led to the death of a U.S. service member in Bati Kot, the military said.

"Afghan forces saved one of their leaders today," said U.S. military spokesman Col. Jerry O'Hara.

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