AFGHAN TALIBAN NAMES SUCCESSOR TO MANSOOR
Nation’s president: Join talks or face predecessor’s fate
Akhundzada is a religious cleric and scholar and the former leader of the Taliban’s court system who is known for his extremist views.
The Afghan Taliban announced Wednesday that its new leader is Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, a hawkish deputy of Mullah Akhtar Mansoor who was killed in an American drone strike last week.
Mansoor was killed in Pakistan on Saturday when his vehicle was struck by a drone attack. The Taliban confirmed his death Wednesday.
The insurgent group said Akhundzada was chosen at a meeting of Taliban leaders, but the militants offered no other details.
Mansoor had drawn scorn from the U.S. and Afghan governments for refusing to participate in a peace process. Javid Faisal, spokesman for Afghan President Abdullah Abdullah, issued a dark invitation for Akhundzada to join talks: “Political settlement is the only option ... or new leadership will face the fate of #Mansoor.”
Not all of the militant move- ment’s members supported the choice. A breakaway Taliban faction led by Mullah Mohammad Rasool, which has battled Mansoor for control of drug smuggling routes, said it would not accept Akhundzada as leader, the Associated Press reported. The group complained that he was chosen by the same small clique that selected Mansoor, rather than by the rank and file.
Akhundzada is a religious cleric and scholar and the former leader of the Taliban’s court system who is known for his extremist views.
The Taliban has been fighting to overthrow Afghanistan’s government since being driven out by U.S.-led forces in 2001.