Asia Times: Even though the selection of Mullah Akhtar Mansour as the Taliban amir after the death of Mullah Mohammad Omar had caused deep frictions in the Taliban ranks, they have moved swiftly this time to fill the gap, with the newly chosen amir, Sheikh Haibatullah Akhunzada, pledging to follow his predecessor’s policy of rejecting
VOA News Akmal Dawi, Masood Farivar May 26, 2016 WASHINGTON—Days after a U.S. drone strike in Pakistan, near the Afghan border, killed Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansoor, it remains unclear how the slain leader’s location was discovered. Mansoor was killed in a remote part of Baluchistan, a province that has been thought off limits for U.S.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty May 26, 2016 RFE/RL has obtained video footage that purportedly shows a group of Taliban commanders pledging loyalty to the newly named Afghan Taliban leader, Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada. The video shows a group of turbaned and bearded men declaring allegiance to Akhundzada and expressing their agreement with his appointment as the
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty May 26, 2016 U.S. President Barack Obama has said the Taliban are unlikely to come to the table for peace talks with the Afghan government “anytime soon.” Obama was speaking on May 26 on the sidelines of a G7 summit in Japan, a day after the Taliban appointed Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada
Press TV May 25, 2016 The Afghan Taliban’s newly-appointed leader, Haibatullah Akhundzada, has pledged that the militant group will not enter into any peace talks with the government in Kabul. “No, no we will not come to any type of peace talks,” the man, identified as Akhundzada, said in an audio recording provided by the
VOA News Ayesha Tanzeem May 25, 2016 ISLAMABAD—The Taliban’s new chief, Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada, has a reputation as a respected religious scholar with the title “sheikh-ul-hadith,” a specialist in interpreting the words of Mohammad, the prophet of Islam. He enjoyed the esteem and trust of the Taliban’s founding leader, Mullah Omar, who turned to him
VOA News Ayaz Gul May 25, 2016 ISLAMABAD—Afghanistan’s Taliban says Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada has been appointed the new chief of the group following the death of Mullah Akhtar Mansoor. In a Pashto language statement on Wednesday, the Tailban also formally confirmed Mansoor was killed in a U.S. drone attack last week. “Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada has
VOA News Ayaz Gul May 24, 2016 ISLAMABAD—While the Afghan Taliban have still not officially confirmed or denied the death of their chief, Mullah Mansoor, in a U.S. drone attack, insurgent leaders appear to be preparing the ground for a leadership transition. In a Pashto-language statement released to pro-Taliban media outlets, a senior member of
VOA News Ayaz Gul May 22, 2016 Mullah Akhtar Mansoor was formally named leader of the Taliban in July 2015, shortly after the militant group disclosed that founder Mullah Omar had died two years prior. The Afghan government said Mansoor was the de facto leader of the Taliban during the time that Omar’s death remained