ISLAMABAD, Oct 17: The Taliban said on Wednesday they had arrested a foreign national who could be either American or British near the northern city of Kunduz.

The Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) quoted intelligence chief Qari Ahmedullah as saying that the foreigner had been arrested on Saturday, and that he was pretending to be mute.

“We are sure he is either American or British,” Ahmedullah said.

The Taliban have also been holding a French journalist since Oct 9 for illegally entering the country.

Ahmedullah said the foreigner was not responding to any questions.

“He has red colour, green eyes and red hair,” he said.

“We will not spare him. Sometimes he writes a very strange name. We don’t know his name. We are trying to extract something from him,” Ahmedullah said.

A Pakistani newspaper on Wednesday quoted a Taliban official as saying that French reporter Michel Peyrard, who faces charges that can carry the death penalty, would not be shown the same leniency as a British reporter freed by the Taliban on Oct 8.

Peyrard, 44, was arrested near Jalalabad after entering the country disguised under the burqa.

He was charged with spying, an offence punishable by death, and told he would be tried.

British journalist Yvonne Ridley, who was also arrested for illegally entering the country, was released after being held for 10 days.—Reuters