Pakistan denies reports about firing on Afghan Taliban leader

Pakistan on Thursday denied reports that the Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansoor has been injured in a gunfight in the country's southwestern Balochistan province.

Afghan officials said Mansoor was injured during a meeting of the Afghan Taliban in Kuchlak area, some 25 km east of Quetta, the provincial capital, on Wednesday.

"We do not have any reports about the incident and the Afghan Taliban spokesman has also denied the reports," Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Qazi Khalilullah told a weekly briefing.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has also rejected the reports as "part of propaganda by the Afghan intelligence agents."

In Balochistan, the provincial home minister Sarfaraz Bugti also dispelled the rumours about the incident.

An Afghan official had told the media in Kabul on Wednesday that firing started in the meeting at the residence of a Taliban leader Abdullah Sarhadi after exchange of hot words that also killed at least four Talban commanders.

Sarhadi also denied the incident, according to section of the Afghan media.

The Taliban issued a statement on Thursday, dismissing the reports of Mansoor's injuries as basdeless.

"Our credible sources state that Amir ul Mumineen (commander of faithful) has no presence in the stated area and neither has a security incident occurred there," the statement said.

The alleged incident came as the Taliban has been divided into two factions after Mansoor succeeded former Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar as the hardliner group's new leader after Omar was confirmed dead in late July. Endit