Kabul says Taliban leader wounded in Pakistan, Taliban refutes claim

Five senior Taliban members died on the spot and more than a dozen, including Mullah Mansour, suffered serious bullet injuries in Quetta in western Pakistan, a Taliban source claimed.

According to Fayzi, a quarrel broke out between the two men, which, the spokesman claimed, quickly escalated into an armed confrontation.

Speaking to Pakistan’s Express Tribune newspaper, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid denied any incident of firing, and attributed the story to a newspaper recently launched by the Afghan presidential palace.

The spokesman of the Taliban denied the firefight occurred.

“For the ideological Taliban, Mullah Mansoor is a criminal, a mafia boss, a drug dealer”.

After Mansour was named Omar’s successor, another key Taliban leader, Mullah Rasool, announced a rival leadership group that was challenging Mansour’s rule.

Fledgling peace discussions were disturbed by news of his passing between the Taliban as well as the Afghan authorities.

Afghan officials on Wednesday confirmed reports that Rasool’s deputy, Mullah Dadullah, was killed last month in a gunfight with Mansour loyalists.

There are conflicting accounts of the incident, with different factions of the Taliban reporting different versions of events, and some are denying the shooting even took place.

“Simply posting denials on their website won’t be considered credible enough, especially after Mullah Omar’s death was concealed for years”.

Afghan officials said Mansoor was injured during a meeting of the Afghan Taliban in Kuchlak area, some 25 km east of Quetta, the provincial capital, on Wednesday.

“Mansour’s death, if confirmed, will be the ultimate blow to the Taliban, leading to further fragmentation of the group”.

“You will always hear such kind of rumours from Afghan side whenever Pakistan will make effort to restart talks to ensure peace in the region”, a Pakistani intelligence official said.

But after the Taliban captured the city of Kunduz last September, Mansour enjoyed a surge of legitimacy.

The talks stalled after the Taliban belatedly confirmed the death of Mullah Omar.

Ghani was cautious about prospects for any quick breakthrough after years of what he called “an undeclared state of hostilities” between the two countries.