Afghan Taliban Shura elects new emir

Ali Akbar Published July 30, 2015

PESHAWAR: The Afghan Taliban appointed Mullah Akhtar Mansoor as the new supreme leader after the announced death of Mullah Omar, sources told DawnNews on Thursday.

The latest development and announcement of the new emir comes a day after various sources including the Afghan government announced the death of Mullah Omar, the elusive founding chief of the Afghan Taliban.

The Afghan Taliban held meetings Wednesday night after the reported death of Mullah Omar, and after consultation between all members of the Shura Council, elected Mansoor as their new chief.

Mansoor was previously Omar’s deputy, and was running the 20-member council after Omar’s death. He has the support of Taliban’s senior leadership.

Mansoor is also said to be in favour of peace talks with the Afghan government, and reportedly has appointed Haji Din Muhammad to participate in the peace process.

However, sources claim that not all members of the shura are in favour of peace talks.

According to sources, two new deputies were also chosen during the meeting, one of whom is reportedly Sirajuddin Haqqani.

Sirajuddin leads the Haqqani network, a key ally of the Afghan Taliban. Although he had pledged allegiance to its leader Mullah Omar, Sirajuddin's group operated fairly independently.

Mullah Mansoor, a former aviation minister in the Taliban regime and a former shadow governor of Kandahar, has long been known for his moderate views on reconciliation which have pitted him against hardliners.

He was one of the top Taliban leaders whose accounts the US had frozen as a result of the 9/11 attacks.

Mansoor was also one of two senior Taliban figures named by Mullah Omar to replace the militant organisation’s then No.2 Mullah Abdul Ghani Barader, who was arrested in Pakistan in February 2010.

Recently, the Taliban warned the self-styled Islamic State (IS) against waging a parallel insurgency in Afghanistan. “The Taliban do not consider the multiplicity of jihadi ranks beneficial to Muslims.”

In a letter sent to IS, Taliban’s then deputy leader Mullah Akhtar Mansoor told the IS chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi that jihad against the Americans and their allies in Afghanistan must be conducted under one flag and a unified command.

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Dilawar Khan

Jul 30, 2015 04:48pm

it's nothing new! they're used to fighting with and without..

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blue saffron

Jul 30, 2015 04:54pm

He is a very capable person and will take taliban to new heights.

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Baahubali

Jul 30, 2015 04:58pm

Talk stalled. New chief selected. There is some nasty work going on. Pakistan and afghanistan need to be vigil and cautious. India wants peace in this part of the world.

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curious2

Jul 30, 2015 05:12pm

After covering up Omar's death this guy will have no credibility with the Taliban who actually do the fighting. He's got some explaining to do .. and so does Pakistan who provided Omar with sanctuary for the past 14 years and was likely complicit in hiding his death.

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Saad S

Jul 30, 2015 05:37pm

what a drama?how could be this latest development and announcement of the new emir when news are that he died 3 years ago?

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Roussou

Jul 30, 2015 05:56pm

Obaidullah was appointed as deputy by Mullah Omar but Mullah Mansoor became the head who actually broke the news of the death of Mullah Omar.... that clearly shows division within the taliban ranks. Not surprising. Talibans are notorious for their infighting which incidentally have been the main stumbling block in reaching any solution in Afghanistan.

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Amina

Jul 30, 2015 05:58pm

@blue saffron You could be right. India and other countries may be involved. One can buy these Taliban with little money. These people do not have any religion and no morals. Basically very cheap people. Give them money they will kidnap, they can even kill innocent children, no limits.

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shah

Jul 30, 2015 06:29pm

strange....they were only saying yesterday that Mullah Omar death reports are fabricated.

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Mustafa

Jul 30, 2015 07:06pm

@Baahubali; 'India wants peace in this part of the world.' Not peace but piece.

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majid

Jul 30, 2015 07:17pm

With the current mindset & psyche they will head "NO WHERE".....

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Muzaffar Ali

Jul 30, 2015 07:35pm

Once modern, prosperous country in total ruins....we cannot call it victory in any stretch of imagination....picking up a gun does not make a hero! What have these war lords done....just satisfied their ego of manhood.....destroyed families, houses, livelihood! And I am being polite!

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Sarwar, USA

Jul 30, 2015 07:59pm

@Muzaffar Ali Who says once modern country. Afghanistan except few areas of Kabul was basic and primitive society... not modern in any standard.

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BABA DE KAMAQLANO

Jul 30, 2015 11:02pm

A road to nowhere. This nonsense needs to be stopped.

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Wonder

Jul 30, 2015 11:44pm

@Amina ...Yes they're seemingly poor people who were once our allies in defeating the soviets, the 'cause' that was championed by uncle sam. Yes they do inhumane things etc., but saying that they could be easily bought for a little money, you are in your wild imagination. I think US and its allies had a good sum of money and they never succeeded in buying them. They can be anything but an item for sale.

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Kamal Pasha

Jul 31, 2015 01:24am

Emir mean the King, Shaikh, Sultan of a country. Mullah Mansoor is Emir of Which country?

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Kamal Pasha

Jul 31, 2015 01:29am

@Wonder, All the afghan Talibans are available to the highest bidder. U.S. could not buy them because the millionaire bin Laden was their Emir and also they fought for money and to over throw infidel Russia.

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Jul 31, 2015 02:04am

This could be double whammy for Pakistan.

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Hope

Jul 31, 2015 02:32am

None of them have religious education but they are called MULLAH's. An ignorant is lowest form of humanity which gives bad name to religion and brings harm to people.

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