Kabul: The Taliban Shura, or Supreme Council, has chosen Mullah Akhtar Mansoor as the new leader of the Afgan Taliban. High-ranking officials from the Afghan Taliban confirmed on Thursday the death of their leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar, and said the group’s top council has elected his successor, a senior figure who served as the reclusive mullah’s deputy for the past three years. It is reported that the seven-member Shura had met in the Pakistani city of Quetta. Following Mansoor’s election, the Taliban also chose Sirajuddin Haqqani as its new deputy leader, the two Taliban figures said.
Mansoor is considered close to the Pakistani authorities and his election could further divide an already-fractured Taliban as he is believed to have links to opposing councils within the movement. The Taliban is believed to have splintered under pressure to enter into peace talks with the Afghan government after almost 14 years of war.
Blow to peace process
On Thursday, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said it was postponing the talks due to the “uncertainty” surrounding Mullah Omar’s death but gave no new date for the negotiations.
The Afghan Taliban too, indicated they were pulling out of the negotiations with the Kabul government.
On Thursday, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said it was postponing the talks due to the “uncertainty” surrounding Mullah Omar’s death but gave no new date for the negotiations.
The first round of the official discussions, supervised by U.S. and Chinese representatives, was hosted by Islamabad earlier this month. It ended with both sides agreeing to meet again — a significant progress in itself and there it stands.
