AFGHANISTAN-TALIBAN/NEWSER Afghanistan investigates reports of Taliban leader's death

Record ID: 145862

  • Title: AFGHANISTAN-TALIBAN/NEWSER Afghanistan investigates reports of Taliban leader's death
  • Date: 29th July 2015
  • Summary: KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (JULY 29, 2015) (REUTERS) SPOKESMAN FOR AFGHAN PRESIDENT ASHRAF GHANI, SAYED ZAFAR HASHEMI, HOLDING NEWS CONFERENCE JOURNALISTS SEATED IN FOR NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) SPOKESMAN FOR AFGHAN PRESIDENT ASHRAF GHANI, SAYED ZAFAR HASHEMI, SAYING: "We are aware of the reports about passing away of Mullah Omar, the Taliban leader. We are still in th
  • Embargoed: 13th August 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Afghanistan
  • Country: Afghanistan
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVACTYY488D55HM44KXBNQTDFZLX
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: A spokesman for President Ashraf Ghani confirmed on Wednesday (July 29) that Afghanistan was investigating reports that Mullah Omar, leader of the militant Taliban movement, was dead.
    The elusive Omar has not been seen in public since fleeing when the Taliban was toppled from power by a U.S.-led coalition in 2001, and there has been speculation for years among militant circles that he was either incapacitated or had died.
    "We are aware of the reports of the passing of Mullah Omar, the Taliban leader. We are still in the process of assessing those reports, and as soon as we get any more accurate information or authentication of those reports we are going to let the media and the people of Afghanistan know about that," announced spokesman Sayed Zafar Hashemi in Kabul.
    His comments came as preparations were under way for the next round of peace talks between Kabul and the Taliban, provisionally planned for Thursday (July 30) or Friday (July 31) in a location yet to be confirmed.
    Ghani is keen to broker a settlement with the insurgents, who have been gaining territory in pockets of the country and intensifying attacks on military and political targets.
    Thousands of civilians and security personnel are killed each year in the violence, which has worsened since NATO withdrew most of its forces from the country at the end of last year.
    On the streets of Kabul the Taliban's legacy led some to greet news of Omar's death positively.
    "Mullah Omar was a leader of terrorist groups in Afghanistan. He has led numerous destructions, suicide attacks, and has killed many innocent civilians in Afghanistan. As an Afghan citizen I am happy that he is dead," Afghan resident Asadullah Azizi said.
    Yet Kabul resident Abdul Jalil explained how Omar's death was bound to be followed by the emergence of another leader.
    "I am happy hearing about the death of Mullah Omar, but I will not be happy that after his death another successor will emerge," he said.
    Renewed uncertainty over Omar's fate could deepen divisions within the movement as rival commanders position to succeed him, in a possible setback for the fledgling peace process.
    The Taliban is already split between senior figures who support talks with Kabul to end the 13-year war and others who want to continue to fight for power.
    A senior Afghan Taliban commander based in neighbouring Pakistan said Omar had died of natural causes, although he did not specify when.
    He added that a group within the Taliban wanted one of Omar's sons to take over, while another favoured the promotion of political leader Akhtar Mohammad Mansour, who has been among those who support peace talks.
    A written message purportedly from Omar released earlier in July indicated he also approved of dialogue, but there was no way of independently confirming that the document was genuine.
    A senior official from the Pakistani military, which historically has close ties to the Afghan Taliban and other Islamist militant groups in the region, said he could not confirm Omar's death.
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