Unlock all articles by subscribing to this international offer

All Access Weekly

Herald Premium, Viva Premium, The Listener & BusinessDesk
Pay just
$15.75
$2
per week ongoing
See all offers
Already a subscriber? Sign in here
NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / World

Taliban leader linked to Bamiyan attacks killed

APNZ
25 Nov, 2012 07:17 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
/
Duration 0:00
Loaded: 0%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time -0:00
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions settings, opens captions settings dialog
    • captions off, selected

      This is a modal window.

      Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.

      Text
      Text Background
      Caption Area Background
      Font Size
      Text Edge Style
      Font Family

      End of dialog window.

      This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button.

      Autoplay in
      5
      Disable Autoplay
      Cancel Video
      Prime Minister John Key reacts to the news that a senior Taliban leader thought to be behind a roadside bombing in which three New Zealand soldiers died has reportedly been killed by coalition forces.

      A senior Taliban leader thought to be behind a roadside bombing in which three New Zealand soldiers died has reportedly been killed by coalition forces.

      Prime Minister John Key today confirmed Abdullah Kalta died in the Afghanistan airstrike.

      New Zealand soldiers Lance Corporal Jacinda Baker, Private Richard Harris and Corporal Luke Tamatea were killed in August when their Humvee struck an improvised explosive device.

      New Zealand personnel were not involved in the attack on Kalta but coalition forces could have used intelligence gathered by New Zealand SAS troops, Mr Key said on TVNZ's Breakfast show.

      "We weren't physically involved but it was almost certainly intelligence that New Zealand people have been gathering over there.

      Unlock all articles by subscribing to this international offer

      All Access Weekly

      Herald Premium, Viva Premium, The Listener & BusinessDesk
      Pay just
      $15.75
      $2
      per week ongoing
      See all offers
      Already a subscriber? Sign in here
      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.
      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.

      "It was in the northeastern part of Bamiyan province. If that is the case, and that seems to be the information we have, then I think that's good news if it makes Afghanistan a safer place for our people."

      Mr Key said the attack on Kalta happened last week and he did not know if the families of the dead soldiers had been told yet.

      He said the main aim was to make the environment safe and it was understood further attacks on the Taliban were planned.

      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.

      "We're in a war zone and ultimately we need to make sure that our men and women are best protected as we can and that means using intelligence and if required making sure that those who are undertaking those attacks aren't in a position to do so."

      Radio New Zealand's Afghanistan correspondent Jon Stephenson said coalition officials released a statement yesterday which said Kalta was responsible for several attacks on Afghan and coalition forces in Bamiyan Province and was also a mentor for insurgents.

      The operation to kill Kalta was carried out by international forces, Stephenson said.

      Mr Stephenson said he had been told the Provincial Reconstruction Team had provided intelligence behind the airstrike but that was yet to be confirmed.

      Discover more

      New Zealand

      'Ours is a dangerous profession'

      20 Aug 05:30 AM
      New Zealand

      Timeline: NZ in Afghanistan

      20 Aug 02:52 AM
      New Zealand

      More may be sent to Afghanistan

      20 Aug 07:28 AM
      World

      Warlord's death 'mix of shock, sadness'

      26 Nov 04:30 PM

      He said it was likely that coalition or Afghan special forces on the ground called in the airstrike "but whether or not new Zealand played a role in that is far from clear. Certainly there would have been a very strong intelligence component behind this raid."

      He said Kalta's death would be a major blow for the Taliban.

      "He was clearly, by all accounts, a very resourceful, a very well informed insurgent leader, who played a very active role in both Baghlan and Bamiyan.

      "He had as recently as September reportedly been behind an attack on the district officers in Shibar that had lasted for about one and a half hours and he had escaped apparently over the border back into Baghlan on that occasion."

      Kalta would have been a "highly prized target" of coalition and Afghan forces, Stephenson said.

      Last month the Defence Force, Mr Key and Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman denied SAS personnel had been sent to Afghanistan on a so-called revenge mission for the New Zealand soldiers' deaths.

      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.
      Save

        Share this article

      Latest from World

      World

      Trump ‘very unhappy’ with Putin on Ukraine, hints at sanctions

      05 Jul 06:38 AM
      Entertainment

      Cause of death revealed as Julian McMahon, 56, dies after private battle

      05 Jul 04:42 AM
      Sport

      Emma Raducanu criticises Wimbledon electronic line calls after loss

      05 Jul 03:26 AM

      There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

      sponsored
      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.
      Recommended for you
      All Blacks hold on, end France losing streak to open 2025
      All Blacks

      All Blacks hold on, end France losing streak to open 2025

      05 Jul 09:19 AM
      Lotto Powerball jackpots to $10m, two winners split $1m
      New Zealand

      Lotto Powerball jackpots to $10m, two winners split $1m

      05 Jul 09:16 AM
      Watch: Jet boat joy rides through swollen stream as severe weather batters parts of NZ
      New Zealand

      Watch: Jet boat joy rides through swollen stream as severe weather batters parts of NZ

      05 Jul 08:41 AM
      Person seriously injured falling from vehicle in Pokeno crash
      Auckland

      Person seriously injured falling from vehicle in Pokeno crash

      05 Jul 08:16 AM
      Recap: All Black beat France to begin 2025 campaign
      All Blacks

      Recap: All Black beat France to begin 2025 campaign

      05 Jul 07:57 AM

      Latest from World

      Trump ‘very unhappy’ with Putin on Ukraine, hints at sanctions

      Trump ‘very unhappy’ with Putin on Ukraine, hints at sanctions

      05 Jul 06:38 AM

      US President frustrated after a chat with the Russian leader about the Ukraine war.

      Cause of death revealed as Julian McMahon, 56, dies after private battle

      Cause of death revealed as Julian McMahon, 56, dies after private battle

      05 Jul 04:42 AM
      Emma Raducanu criticises Wimbledon electronic line calls after loss

      Emma Raducanu criticises Wimbledon electronic line calls after loss

      05 Jul 03:26 AM
      Texas flash flood death toll rises to 24

      Texas flash flood death toll rises to 24

      05 Jul 03:26 AM
      From early mornings to easy living
      sponsored

      From early mornings to easy living

      NZ Herald
      • About NZ Herald
      • Meet the journalists
      • Newsletters
      • Classifieds
      • Help & support
      • Contact us
      • House rules
      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms of use
      • Competition terms & conditions
      • Our use of AI
      Subscriber Services
      • NZ Herald e-editions
      • Daily puzzles & quizzes
      • Manage your digital subscription
      • Manage your print subscription
      • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
      • Subscribe to Herald Premium
      • Gift a subscription
      • Subscriber FAQs
      • Subscription terms & conditions
      • Promotions and subscriber benefits
      NZME Network
      • The New Zealand Herald
      • The Northland Age
      • The Northern Advocate
      • Waikato Herald
      • Bay of Plenty Times
      • Rotorua Daily Post
      • Hawke's Bay Today
      • Whanganui Chronicle
      • Viva
      • NZ Listener
      • Newstalk ZB
      • BusinessDesk
      • OneRoof
      • Driven Car Guide
      • iHeart Radio
      • Restaurant Hub
      NZME
      • About NZME
      • NZME careers
      • Advertise with NZME
      • Digital self-service advertising
      • Book your classified ad
      • Photo sales
      • NZME Events
      • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
      Unlock all articles by subscribing to this international offer

      All Access Weekly

      Herald Premium, Viva Premium, The Listener & BusinessDesk
      Pay just
      $15.75
      $2
      per week ongoing
      See all offers
      Already a subscriber? Sign in here
      TOP
      search by queryly Advanced Search