International • Created July 31, 2015 13:28

Taliban choose Mullah Omar’s successor

The Taliban have appointed a successor to Mullah Omar, who led the movement for some 20 years. The death of Mullah Omar – reported by the Afghan government on Wednesday – was confirmed by the Taliban on Thursday, the BBC has been told. His deputy, Mullah Akhtar Mansour, will replace him, sources close to the […]

Taliban choose Mullah Omar’s successor
Taliban choose Mullah Omar’s successor

The Taliban have appointed a successor to Mullah Omar, who led the movement for some 20 years.
The death of Mullah Omar – reported by the Afghan government on Wednesday – was confirmed by the Taliban on Thursday, the BBC has been told.
His deputy, Mullah Akhtar Mansour, will replace him, sources close to the Taliban leadership said.
Correspondents say the move is likely to divide the militants, and that many senior figures opposed the appointment.
A Taliban statement did not say where, when or how Mullah Omar died, only that it was from an illness and that he had remained in Afghanistan since the 2001 US invasion.

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