Nato described Saudi-born Sakhar al-Taifi as the group's second most senior figure in Afghanistan. He commanded foreign insurgents and directed attacks against coalition and Afghan forces, the statement said. But Taliban sources in Kunar deny Al-Taifi was killed and claim he left the area three months ago. Sakhar al-Taifi died in "a precision air strike" in the Watapur district of Kunar province on Sunday night, according to the Nato statement. Another rank-and-file member of al-Qaeda was killed at the same time, it said. But Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid told the Afghan Islamic Press news agency that a bombing raid in the area had killed two Afghan Taliban. "There are no al-Qaeda fighters in Watapur and no foreign national was killed there," he said.









