Australian Special Forces have caught a Taliban leader behind many bomb attacks in Afghanistan.
The Defence Department described the leader, Mullah Bari Ghul, as a key figure in providing equipment, money and foreign fighters to extremist operations in Oruzgan province.
They also believe him to be involved in coordinating the actions of individual insurgent cells.
Defence spokesman Brigadier Brian Dawson said his capture was likely to have an immediate disruptive impact on future Taliban operations in the province.
"The loss of the one person who knew what was currently underway, what was planned for the future and had the contacts to gain further support is a significant blow to the Taliban’s command and control in the province," said Brigadier Dawson.
"Mullah Bari Ghul was directly responsible for the importation of componentry, the provision of specialists in the construction of IEDs and authorising their emplacement across the province."
"He was also ultimately responsible for the July 13 suicide bomber attack in the Deh Rawood bazaar that killed 21 Afghans and injured a further 12 people."
Bari Ghul has been transported to Tarin Kowt, the capital of the province, and is being held in a Dutch detention facility.