Taliban to issue audio to prove their leader alive

Militant sources have cast doubt on the authenticity of a purported audio message dismissing reports of the alleged death of the Afghan Taliban leader, Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour.

But amid their rapid gains, confusion surrounds the fate of insurgent leader Mansour, who was shot in a firefight during an argument with commanders of the divided movement on Tuesday.

There was pressure on the Taliban to provide evidence that Mulla Akhtar Mansour is alive following media reports that he was wounded in an incident during a meeting of Taliban commanders near Quetta in Balochistan province.

The 16-minute file said those “rumours” had been deliberately planted to weaken the Taliban, which has seen a new resurgence under the firebrand supremo despite its internal divisions. “The enemy has launched the propaganda to claim that the Taliban differences have led to infighting”, Mansoor said in the audio message circulated Saturday.

“I didn’t want to talk about this rumor but was compelled to give confidence to the Mujahideen (fighters) and ordinary Muslims”, said a statement summarizing the message.

Mujahid’s remarks came after Sultan Faizy, a spokesman for the first vice president of Afghanistan said in a Twitter post on Friday that Mansoor died of wounds a day after he was injured in gunfight at a meeting of the Taliban commanders.

Another senior Taliban source told AFP news agency that the audio clip was a tactic by Mansour’s supporters to buy time to select a new leader and bring their group out of “this sudden shock”, adding, “We need more proof”. Mansour was declared Taliban leader on July 31 after the insurgents confirmed the death of Omar, who led the movement for about two decades.

Last month, the breakaway faction of the Taliban elected its own leader, Mullah Mohammed Rasool Akhund, sparking speculation over the unity of the group.

It would be the first formal division in the once unified Taliban group which has pressed attacks on Afghan forces since major pullbacks by a US-led coalition which for years has backed the Kabul government.

Violent clashes between the two rival Taliban groups erupted in southern Afghanistan early last month that left several dead from both sides confirmed the rift.

He was believed to be a proponent of such talks, a stance which prompted rancor among hardline insurgents.