“Mansour is seen as a man of Pakistan – that is why severe differences are going on among the Taliban leadership”, said a midlevel Taliban official.
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“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.
Mansoor was part of a Taliban delegation that attended a meeting in early July with Afghan government representatives in Pakistan – touted as the first official talks between the two sides since the Taliban insurgency began 14 years ago.
Month after month, the Taliban had issued statements in Mullah Omar’s name that claimed battlefield gains for the group’s fighters.
Mansoor has effectively commanded the movement for the three years since Mullah Omar’s previous deputy and co-founder of the movement, Mullah Abdul Baradar, was arrested by Pakistani authorities.
It was Omar’s backing for al-Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden after the 9/11 attacks that sparked the US-led campaign in Afghanistan.
“For some time, (Omar) has been suffering a kind of sickness and over the last two weeks it became more serious, and due to that illness he passed away”, Mujahid said, calling on Taliban commanders to hold prayers for him.
The United States has long accused Pakistan’s spy agency, the ISI, of strong ties to the insurgent group.
“If he gets the credibility, it might not be such bad news to have Mansour replace the invisible Mullah Omar”, Dam said.
The Taliban Supreme Council (Shura Council) was not consulted before the appointment of the new leader Mullah Mohammed Akhtar Mansoor, a move that could impact on the peace talks with the Afghan government, Al Jazeera has learned. Taliban yesterday confirmed the death of Omar.
He said the selection announced Friday ensures a smooth transfer of leadership, and described Mansoor as a proponent of dialogue to end the Afghan conflict.
Mullah Omar was much more than the Taliban’s operational leader. There is also up to a $10 million bounty for Sirajuddin Haqqani.
The Quetta Shura has sent a six-member team to Qatari capital Doha to meet with one of its leaders, Tayyab Agha, seeking his support for Mansour, according to another Taliban source close to the leadership. But another family member said the reports were true.
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Mullah Mansoor had been giving orders and appointing commanders, essentially taking full control of the organization, especially after Mullah Omar’s closest aides, Mullah Obaidullah Akhund and Mullah Biradar, were killed and arrested.
