The mastermind of the kidnapping of 23 South Korean hostages in July, has been killed in a clash with Coalition troops.

The police chief in Ghazni province said that Mullah Mateen was one of a number of Taleban killed in fighting against Afghan and foreign troops.

The Taleban say that the dead men were all civilians.

Twenty-one of the Koreans, who were Christian aid workers, were released and two killed by the Taleban.

There has been no independent confirmation of the death of Mr Mateen.

That’s the Taliban’s template response: They were all civilians. It helps their effort to demonize coalition troops, casting them as baby and innocent-civilian killers.