Afghan strongman shelters former Taliban insurgents

KABUL: An Afghan strongman is giving sanctuary to Taliban fighters and their families who had sought haven across the border in Pakistan, building on a radical strategy to reduce Islamabad's perceived influence on the insurgency.

Kandahar's powerful police chief Abdul Raziq last December called for a "safe zone" for Taliban militants, a contentious plan centred on Afghanistan's long-standing accusation that the insurgency is fuelled by Pakistan's support in cross-border sanctuaries.