(Adds that man no longer a suspected Iranian guard) KABUL, Dec 24 (Reuters) - A suspected weapons smuggler captured in southern Afghanistan is not a member of Iran's Revolutionary Guard as first thought, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said on Friday. The coalition said initial intelligence reports suggested that the man was part of the al-Quds force, which specialises in foreign operations for Iran, but it was later determined he was not a member of the elite unit. "It was determined that while the individual may be affiliated with several insurgent-related organizations, he is not a member of al-Quds," ISAF said in a statement. ISAF declined to comment on the nationality of the man. The man was captured during a night raid on Dec. 18 in the Zharay district of southern Kandahar province, the birthplace of the Islamist Taliban, by Afghan and coalition forces, who described him as "a key Taliban weapons facilitator".
"The joint security team specifically targeted the individual for facilitating the movement of weapons between Iran and Kandahar through Nimroz province," ISAF said in an earlier statement.
The United States and its NATO allies accuse Shi'ite Iran of attempting to destabilise Afghanistan. Tehran denies supporting militant groups in Afghanistan and blames the instability on the presence of Western troops. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Nick Macfie) (If you have a query or comment about this story, send an e-mail to news.feedback.asia@thomsonreuters.com) (Created by Nick Macfie)
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