U.S. strike killing Taliban leader violates Pakistan's sovereignty: Russian diplomat

A recent U.S. drone strike carried out against the Taliban group, which resulted in the killing of its chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour, violated Pakistan's sovereignty, a senior Russian diplomat said on Monday.

"The strike was carried out in Pakistani territory. This is a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty," Zamir Kabulov, Russian special presidential envoy to Afghanistan, was quoted as saying by the RIA Novosti news agency.

The Pentagon said on Saturday that the U.S. airstrike targeting Mansour's vehicle killed the Taliban leader in a remote area along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

On Sunday, Islamabad denounced the United States for violating its sovereignty in the mission.

Kabulov also voiced his concern that Sirajuddin Haqqani, Mansour's possible successor who is believed to be the most radical figure in the Taliban leadership, would be "the worst of all."

In late 2015, Russia opened communication channels with the Taliban in Afghanistan to probe the possibility of joint missions against the Islamic State militant group, which emerged in Afghanistan last year. Endi