A war-oriented American journal has published on its website that the Taliban have appointed a leader with close ties to Al Qaeda to lead one of their four regional military councils in Afghanistan.
According to a report by the Long War Journal, Sheikh Mohammed Aminullah, who in 2009 was placed on the United Nations Sanctions Committee’s list of “individuals and entities associated with Al Qaeda,” has been named to lead the Taliban’s Peshawar Regional Military Shura, which is considered responsible for operations in eastern and northern Afghanistan. The report also cited an article in the Hindu, an Indian daily, that Aminullah, reportedly listed as Fazeel-a-Tul Shaykh Abu Mohammed Ameen al Peshawari, had been named to lead the Peshawar Shura.
The journal quoted two unnamed US intelligence officials confirming that Aminullah was appointed to lead the Peshawar Shura sometime last year, when he replaced Mullah Abdul Latif Mansour.
According to the United Nations Sanctions Committee designation, Aminullah runs the Ganj Madrassa, or religious school, which he allegedly used to recruit and provide support for Al Qaeda. Aminullah is also accused of supplying suicide vests to Al Qaeda and Taliban suicide bombers, and supporting the families of dead bombers.