Leader of Haqqani Network Jalaluddin Haqqani dead- Afghan Taliban

He allied himself to the Taliban after they took power in Kabul in 1996, serving as a cabinet minister under the militia’s supreme leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar.

The contradictory reports come a day after the Taliban confirmed that its founder Mullah Mohammed Omar had some time ago, signifying a major shift in Afghanistan’s militant leadership.

In the statement, Mullah Omar’s family praised his dedication to jihad, or holy war, against the U.S.-led coalition and said it was the “duty of all Muslims” to follow his example by establishing Sharia law in Afghanistan. However, a former Pakistani official tells the Post that some sections of the government may have wished to keep Mullah Omar’s death a secret to preserve Islamabad’s ability to influence peace talks between a united Taliban and Kabul.

The news comes as a Taliban representative and the group’s Twitter account confirmed the death of Omar Mullah.

“The government of Afghanistan believes that grounds for the Afghan peace talks are more paved now than before, and thus calls on all armed opposition groups to seize the opportunity and join the peace process”, the statement added. He said he was not aware of the refusal of the Taliban, or when the second round would take place. Haqqani “died of a brain hemorrhage a year and half ago”. But at the same time Omar’s death also raises questions about how it was kept a secret for over two years and when US and China have been informed about it.

“Mullah Mansour is one of the founders of the Taliban movement and he is a moderate, pro-peace, pro-talks person”, said Abdul Hakim Mujahid, a former Taliban official and a member of the Afghan High Peace Council.

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

The display of dissent…is the clearest sign yet of the challenge long-time deputy Mansour faces in uniting a group already divided over whether to pursue peace talks with the Afghan government and facing a new, external threat – ISIS.

Two deputy leaders Sirajuddin Haqqani, leader of the Haqqani network and Maulauvi Haibatullah, the chief justice and head of the Ulema council, were also chosen to assist Mullah Mansoor.

Taliban attacks against Afghan officials and forces have intensified with their annual warm-weather offensive.

“I don’t think this agreement to go to the negotiating table is determined by personality; it’s more about the circumstances”. “In battles with local security forces, the Taliban lost 20 fighters, including their local commander”, he said.