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Leadership challenged in Afghan Taliban

The Columbian
Published: August 2, 2015, 5:00pm

KABUL, Afghanistan — The brother of the late figurehead of the Afghan Taliban on Sunday joined a challenge to the extremist group’s new leader, even as it offered a statement purportedly quoting a well-known militant supporting him.

Mullah Abdul Manan, the brother of the late Mullah Mohammad Omar, said that new Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansoor was selected by his own supporters. That comes after Omar’s son, Yacoub, also said Mansoor didn’t have the wider Taliban support.

Both men demanding a new vote could throw Taliban leadership into greater disarray as it weighs whether to resume peace talks with the Afghan government or continue its bloody, nearly 14-year insurgency.

The Taliban announced Mansoor as their new leader Thursday and released a audio statement purportedly from him Saturday in which he called for Taliban unity.

Afghan officials said Mullah Omar died in April 2013, and Taliban officials acknowledged his death.

On Sunday, the Taliban issued a statement purportedly quoting Jalaluddin Haqqani, the leader of the Haqqani insurgent group, to further support Mansoor. The statement, posted to the Taliban’s website, quoted Haqqani mourning the loss of Mullah Omar and backing Mansoor as the Taliban’s leader.

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