Arrest of Afghan Taliban's No. 2 confirmed

Pakistan and the United States have confirmed the arrest of Mullah Abdul Baradar, who is second in command among Afghanistan's Taliban.

Reports had already surfaced this week that Mullah Abdul Baradar had been arrested in February in a joint operation by CIA forces and Pakistani security forces in the southern port city of Karachi.

But officials did not confirm the arrest until the Pakistaniarmy released a statement Wednesday.

"At the conclusion of detailed identification procedures, it has been confirmed that one of the persons arrested happens to be Mullah Baradar," chief army spokesman Maj.-Gen. Athar Abbas said in a statement to reporters.

"The place of arrest and operational details cannot be released due to security reasons."

Richard Holbrooke, U.S. envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, confirmed the capture butwould not disclose specifics.

Baradar ranks second in influence with the Taliban only to Mullah Muhammad Omar, the Taliban's founder and a close associate of Osama bin Laden before al-Qaeda's Sept. 11 attacks in the United States.

Pakistan's involvement is encouraging tothe United States, which has been pressing for the Pakistani government to crack down on the Taliban within its borders.

U.S. Senator John Kerry said Tuesday the news is proof of a "stronger co-operative effort" between the United States and Pakistan in rooting out the Taliban.

There has been speculation the arrest could be linked to the new push to negotiate with moderate Afghan Taliban leaders as a way to end the conflict in Afghanistan, which began when Taliban members were ousted in the 2001 U.S.-led invasion.

One Pakistani official who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity said Baradar provided "useful information" to them and that Pakistani officials had shared it with their U.S. counterparts.