Taliban Names Mullah Omar’s Successor

“If anyone does not obey the new chief of the Taliban then he will be not in the Taliban“, he said simply. “Mansoor is a meek and forbearing person”.

Mullah Omar has long been a mysterious and iconic figure throughout the region, evading capture or assassination when many other Taliban and al-Qaeda leaders have fallen. However, the Qatar Taliban was reportedly upset over negotiations with the Afghan government. He’s believed to be in his late 40s. He was born in Kandahar – a Taliban stronghold and the birthplace of the insurgent group.

Mansoor has been an “active director” of the jihad, or holy war, for some years, it added. “I have no differences with new Amir Mullah Akhtar Mansoor and all such reports are baseless”.

Shashank Joshi, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, said the leadership question had not triggered fresh splits but instead illustrated existing fractures that could devalue any peace process.

“Mansour is seen as a man of Pakistan – that is why severe differences are going on among the Taliban leadership”, said a midlevel Taliban official. The “Mullah Omar myth” has now shattered, and the Taliban is left to forge its own credibility.

A statement from Pakistan’s foreign minister said the Taliban had requested the postponement amid “uncertainty” following confirmation of the death of Omar.

Political analyst Ahmad Saeedi said the Taliban’s statement could signal a total rejection of the talks.

Funeral prayers were held in a number of Pakistani cities to remember Mullah Omar.

News of Haqqani’s death came only days after the Taliban’s top chief and founder Mullah Omar was confirmed dead Wednesday. “They are not fighting they are just talking on the radio”.

“The Taliban movement is finding itself in a deep identity crisis”. But his imaginary leadership somehow glued the splintering organization. No details were given on the exact date or cause of his death.

Mullah Omar was regarded as the spiritual leader of the Taliban, while Mansour “is a military commander and a good warrior, but can’t be the leader of the faithful”, Kohistani said.

The new leader of the Taliban is seen as close to Pakistan, and this may put him in a position to revive the peace talks.

And Taliban insiders say that by sending a three-member delegation to meet Afghan officials in the Pakistani resort of Murree earlier in July, Mansour sparked new criticism. The Taliban have now confirmed Omar’s death without saying when he died.

“A spokesman for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said on Thursday that the authorities were trying to verify the reports”.

Sources in Pakistan also assert that Mansoor is the driving force behind the nascent Afghan peace process.

The sources, however, said that the differences still persist within the Taliban leadership.