Mullah Haibatullah has been nominated as new Taliban supreme leader after the reportedly killing of Mullah Akhtar Mansour, the Afghan media reported while quoting an unidentified source close to the militant movement.
Mansour was reportedly killed during a shootout between Taliban leaders during a meeting near Quetta city last week. But the militia has rejected the claim as fabricated. The firefight that took place in Kachlak has been confirmed by Afghan official Sultan Faizi. A former governor and Taliban official Mullah Abdullah Sarhadi and five others were also killed in the gunfire exchange.
Requesting not to be named, the ‘source’ said that Haibatullah had been appointed as Mansour’s successor at an emergency meeting attended by senior militant leaders. It said that the Taliban had informed all shadow governors, district chiefs and ‘commanders’ that Mansour would take up to eight months to recovery from his injuries, and that Haibatullah would serve as acting leader of the militia.
Mansour’s death is being kept under wraps, as its confirmation could undermine the movement’s morale, according to the Afghan media, who believed the Taliban were unlikely to make a public announcement in this regard. On the other hand, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid denied Haibatullah’s appointment as the movement’s acting head.
