New Taliban Head Mansoor Gets Support from Mullah Omar’s Family

Taliban fighters raided the main prison in the southern province of Ghazni early on Monday, freeing hundreds of inmates after detonating explosives at the entrance and killing police guards, Afghan officials said.

The move consolidates the new leader’s place after weeks of uncertainty. He wanted Maulavi Yaqoob to succeed his father as the supreme leader of Taliban.

Mullah Omar’s family and a number of senior figures were against his successor and splits emerged into the open.

“Mullah Mansour and his associates promised them that only the Shura (leadership council) would have the power to make decisions, rather than individuals”, the spokesman said.

Several other heavyweights not already on board are now expected to follow suit.

Many important Taliban figures still oppose Mansour. Omar’s family will be protected from any threats, a Taliban commander close to Mansour said.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. Defying the fury of Afghanistan’s government and warnings from Washington, Pakistani authorities appear to be turning a blind eye to a meeting of hundreds of Taliban followers in Quetta, Pakistan, near the Afghan border, aimed at resolving a dispute over the group’s leadership following the announcement of the death of one-eyed figurehead Mullah Mohammad Omar.

Manan confirmed to The Associated Press that he and Yaqoub are now pledging their allegiance to Mansoor.

The two men made their support conditional on the new leader accepting eight demands, giving them more say, an aide to Mullah Yaqoub told Reuters news agency.

The conditions included restructuring the leadership council – its head will be chosen from Omar’s family – and ruling by consensus. They also urged all their supporters to announce support for Mullah Mansour.

Last month the Taliban admitted covering up Mullah Omar’s death for two years, for tactical reasons.