Family of fallen soldier relieved at Taliban arrest

The grandfather of one of the kiwi soldiers killed in Afghanistan says the family is relieved at the news of an arrest over the death.

An arms dealer with ties to the Taliban has been caught during an operation by Afghan and coalition forces in the north of the country.

He'll be questioned about the deaths of Lance Corporals Pralli Durrer and Rory Malone, who were killed in a firefight two months ago.

Pralli Durrer's grandfather Jack says the arrest is both good news for them, and also for the rest of the kiwi troops still in Afghanistan.

"And I'm quite happy for the troops that are still there, that something is established before they come back in October."

The arrested man will be prosecuted for being an insurgent and a weapons dealer for the Taliban.

He says they will let justice run its course.

"I don't think they will go in for an eye for an eye or something like that, I think we better leave that to the ones in charge."

And the Defence Force is being praised for not launching a revenge attack, in the hunt for the killers of two New Zealand solders in Afghanistan.

Dr Jim Veitch from Massey University says instead of going in all guns blazing, New Zealand has set an example.

"It's a very good illustration to the Afghani police and army, of how we might go about situations like this. And I think it puts us in a pretty good light, but you don't very often get successes like this."

Dr Veitch says successes are difficult to achieve because the situation in Afghanistan is so volatile.

Photo: Getty Images