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There were no claims of responsibility late Friday.

The Taliban on Friday formally announced their new leader, saying he had been running the insurgent group’s operations for years in the absence of former leader Mullah Mohammad Omar. It is widely believed that Mullah Omar fled over the border to Pakistan, where he lived...

“He is known among fighters in the field as more into peace talks than Mullah Omar, and less strict”, said one Taliban commander who asked to stay anonymous.

The message said: “We should keep our unity, we must be united, our enemy will be happy in our separation”.

The Afghan Taliban on Friday praised their new leader, saying he was one of the most “trusted” associates of the late Mullah Mohammad Omar, a acknowledgment likely meant to rally followers behind the leadership at a time of a deeply fractured insurgency.

The adviser said that that the Taliban have confirmed the death of Mulla Mohammad Omer – founder and supreme leader of the group – and they have elected a new leader – Mullah Akhtar Mansoor.

THE Taliban has elected Mullah Akhtar Mansoor as its new leader, Taliban sources have told Al Jazeera, as the group confirmed the death of their founder, Mullah Omar.