A.Muqeet khan
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The Afghan government is investigating new reports that Taliban leader Mullah Omar has died, a spokesman said.
The Taliban has yet to comment on the claim, which was made by top sources within the Afghan administration and intelligence agency.
The sources said the reclusive militant leader had died two to three years ago.
The latest claims of Mullah Omar’s death are being taken more seriously than previous such reports. The Taliban is expected to issue a statement soon.
A spokesman for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said on Thursday that the authorities were trying to verify the reports.
“As soon as we get any more authentication… we’re going to let the media and the people of Afghanistan know about that,” Sayed Zafar Hashemi said.
Mullah Omar led the Taliban to victory over rival Afghan militias in the civil war that followed the withdrawal of Soviet troops.
His alliance with al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden prompted the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington.
The Taliban militia won a series of victories under Mullah Omar’s leadership
Mullah Omar has since been in hiding, with a $10m (£6.4m;€9m) US state department bounty on his head.
Over the years, the Taliban have released several messages purported to be from the fugitive leader.
The latest of these statements, from mid-July, expressed support for peace talksbetween the Taliban and the Afghan government.
However, the message was in the form of a text published on a Taliban website, rather than an audio or video recording – fuelling rumours that the leader was dead or incapacitated.
The failure to prove that Mullah Omar was alive was a major factor behind the defection of several senior Taliban commanders to the so-called Islamic State group,
Taliban conflict: Afghanistan probes Mullah Omar ‘death’ claim | opinion maker
The Taliban has yet to comment on the claim, which was made by top sources within the Afghan administration and intelligence agency.
The sources said the reclusive militant leader had died two to three years ago.
The latest claims of Mullah Omar’s death are being taken more seriously than previous such reports. The Taliban is expected to issue a statement soon.
A spokesman for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said on Thursday that the authorities were trying to verify the reports.
“As soon as we get any more authentication… we’re going to let the media and the people of Afghanistan know about that,” Sayed Zafar Hashemi said.
Mullah Omar led the Taliban to victory over rival Afghan militias in the civil war that followed the withdrawal of Soviet troops.
His alliance with al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden prompted the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington.
The Taliban militia won a series of victories under Mullah Omar’s leadership
Mullah Omar has since been in hiding, with a $10m (£6.4m;€9m) US state department bounty on his head.
Over the years, the Taliban have released several messages purported to be from the fugitive leader.
The latest of these statements, from mid-July, expressed support for peace talksbetween the Taliban and the Afghan government.
However, the message was in the form of a text published on a Taliban website, rather than an audio or video recording – fuelling rumours that the leader was dead or incapacitated.
The failure to prove that Mullah Omar was alive was a major factor behind the defection of several senior Taliban commanders to the so-called Islamic State group,
Taliban conflict: Afghanistan probes Mullah Omar ‘death’ claim | opinion maker
