KABUL, Afghanistan: The Afghan Taliban Supreme Council would nominate Mullah Muhammad Omar’s successor after the mourning period was over, said a statement issued on Monday.
“Taliban, soon after Omar’s condolences are over, has called a meeting of Supreme Council members, religious clerics including local people and experts to discuss the appointment of Taliban’s new leader,” the group’s Supreme Council said in its statement.
Last week, the Taliban announced the death of Mullah Omar and a day later, they announced Mullah Akhtar Muhammad Mansoor as their new leader.
The Supreme Council said that some Taliban leaders had nominated Mansoor as new leader without consultation with it or taking leading religious scholars into confidence.
It further said that some people had nominated Mansoor for their personal gains and interests and imposed him on the Taliban. The council maintained that the new leader’s nomination had not been in compliance with Islamic rules.
Mullah Omar’s family denies allegiance to Mansoor
Earlier on Sunday, a brother of Taliban’s late supreme leader Mullah Omar said that his family had pledged allegiance to no one and was not ready to do so until differences existed in the insurgency.
The Taliban didn’t mention that when and where Mullah Omar died but according to the Afghan government, he died in April 2013 in Pakistan.
“The government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, based on credible information, confirms that Mullah Muhammad Omar, leader of the Taliban died in April 2013 in Pakistan,” the Afghan government said in a statement on July 30.
