To take the leadership, he outmanoeuvred Mullah Yakoub, Omar’s son who was favoured by some commanders as the new leader, but judged too young and inexperienced at 26.
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Following Mansoor’s election, the Taliban chose Sirajuddin Haqqani as its new deputy leader, the Taliban sources said.
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. The acknowledgment did not give any details of when Mullah Omar died or from what illness.
Jalaluddin Haqqani, who founded the notorious Haqqani network, died in June 2014 according to Taliban and Pakistani intelligence sources.
Bizarrely enough, media reports claim that the Taliban’s leadership council, the Quetta Shura, are “beginning” to have meetings on a successor, which seems belated if Omar has actually been dead for multiple years. He had not been seen in public since fleeing the invasion over the border into Pakistan.
A second round of peace talks between the Taliban and the government in Kabul had been scheduled to begin today in Pakistan.
“We were overwhelmingly focused on Al Qaeda, and there were many fewer instances where we had what we thought was halfway-reliable information on the whereabouts of senior members of the Taliban”, said Robert Grenier, the former Central Intelligence Agency station chief in Pakistan, told the Post.
“These numerous groups and fighters not only affect stability and security, but may also strain any future peace processes with the Taliban, as there is increasingly no single entity with which to negotiate”, Sopko added.
Mansoor, who has only been given the title of Supreme Commander and not spiritual leader, is considered a moderate and pragmatic. A statement from the JuD said a large number of leaders and activists joined the funeral prayers.
Zabihullah Mujahid, Taliban spokesman confirmed reports of Omar’s death, as he said it happened more recently than April 2013 which was a hoax which is the date given by the Afghanistan government previously. The council also elected Sirajuddin Haqqani, the chief of dreaded Haqqani network as deputy of the Taliban’s leader.
Afghan and Pakistani officials had said that a second round of meetings would be held between Taliban representatives and the Kabul government this week.
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The Taliban has taken control of pockets of territory across the country since North Atlantic Treaty Organisation withdrew most of its forces at the end of 2014, leaving the Afghan army and police to quell the violence. He’s believed to be in his late 40s.
