Off the wire
• Kenyan police arrest 6 terror suspects in Mombasa  • Strict discipline of PLA key to victory: People's Daily  • U.S. denounces terrorist attack that kills Palestinian toddler  • China aims to be "most reliable partner" for Africa's industrialization  • Urgent: Fire breaks out in south England after plane crashes into airport warehouse  • Slovenia issues first ever 30-year bond in int'l markets  • Greek gov't starts talks on new bailout in "positive climate": FinMin  • China' s Liaoning beat DPRK to enter int'l women's volleyball final  • Afghan Taliban appoints new leader  • Swedish police to enroll foreign candidates through social media  
You are here: 　 Home

Writethru: Afghan Taliban appoints new leader amid disagreement among some members

Xinhua, August 1, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Afghan Taliban appointed Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansoor as the new leader to replace former Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar who passed away two years ago, the outfit said in a statement on Friday. "Members of the leading council of the Islamic Emirate (the name of the ousted Taliban regime) ... in the wake of a prolonged discussion, decided in a meeting to appoint the intimate and trusted associate of Mullah Mohammad Omar Mujahid and the former deputy head of the Islamic Emirate, Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansoor, as the new leader of the Islamic Emirate," the statement posted in Taliban website reads.

The statement came as Abdul Qayoum Zakir, Taliban's military head, Mullah Habibullah, a member of Taliban Quetta Shura or council, and Sayed Tayib Agha, head of Taliban's political office in Gulf state of Qatar, were among those Taliban members who strongly disagreed the appointment of Mansour as the new leader to replace Omar, according to local media reports.

In the meeting of "leadership appointment, scholars, saints and dignitaries of the Islamic Emirate pledged their allegiance with Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansoor as Amir al-Muminin (Commander of the Faithful) in accordance with the principal of listening and obedience." according to the statement.

At the same meeting, the Taliban leading council had appointed Moulavi Haibatullah Akhunzada and Mullah Sirajuddin Haqqani as the deputy heads of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, the statement further said.

However, the statement did not reveal when and where the meeting was held. Endi