Taliban confirm leader's death, name replacement and Haqqani as a deputy

Sputnik
25.05.2016 - 7:56 - updated 08:02

Afghanistan’s Taliban insurgency confirmed the death of its leader and named his successor through the group’s spokesman on Wednesday.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) – US and Afghan officials said Mullah Akhtar Mansour was killed mid-Saturday in a drone strike on a vehicle he was occupying en route to the Pakistani city of Quetta, Balochistan province. Mansour was picked to replace Taliban's previous leader in mid-2015.

Zabiullah Mujahid, one of two Taliban’s spokesmen, issued a Pashto-language statement via Twitter in which he said "May Allah have mercy" on Mansour.

The accompanying statement named Haibatullah Akhundzada as Taliban's new leader, and Sirajudddin Haqqani and Mullah Yaqoob as two of his deputies.

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I await an analysis from Long War Journal about Haibatullah.  Haqqani  needs no introduction.  By the way, LWJ doesn't believe the Pakis gave up Mansour. I think it's likely they did. But we'll see very soon.  Meanwhile, the Pak military is putting on a big show again to protect the country's air space from the wicked American drone strikes. [eye roll]  

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