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| Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour killed, Afghans confirm | Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour killed, Afghans confirm |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Afghanistan's spy agency has confirmed that Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour has been killed, after the US targeted him in a drone strike. | Afghanistan's spy agency has confirmed that Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour has been killed, after the US targeted him in a drone strike. |
| The drone targeted his vehicle in a remote area of south-west Pakistan, near the Afghan border, on Saturday. | The drone targeted his vehicle in a remote area of south-west Pakistan, near the Afghan border, on Saturday. |
| US Secretary of State John Kerry said Mansour had posed "a continuing, imminent threat to US personnel". | US Secretary of State John Kerry said Mansour had posed "a continuing, imminent threat to US personnel". |
| Mansour assumed the leadership in July 2015, replacing Taliban founder and spiritual head Mullah Mohammad Omar. | Mansour assumed the leadership in July 2015, replacing Taliban founder and spiritual head Mullah Mohammad Omar. |
| The Afghan National Security Directorate (NDS) said on Sunday that Mansour had been killed in the Dalbandi area of Balochistan province - the first official confirmation of the killing of the Taliban leader. | The Afghan National Security Directorate (NDS) said on Sunday that Mansour had been killed in the Dalbandi area of Balochistan province - the first official confirmation of the killing of the Taliban leader. |
| Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah and defence ministry spokesman Daulat Waziri also said that Mansour had been killed. | |
| Who is Mullah Mansour? | Who is Mullah Mansour? |
| Profile: Mullah Akhtar Mansour | Profile: Mullah Akhtar Mansour |
| The Pentagon announced on Saturday that an operation had taken place near the town of Ahmad Wal at around 15:00 (10:00 GMT) and had been authorised by President Barack Obama. | The Pentagon announced on Saturday that an operation had taken place near the town of Ahmad Wal at around 15:00 (10:00 GMT) and had been authorised by President Barack Obama. |
| It said the strike had "probably" killed Mansour and an armed male combatant travelling with him. | It said the strike had "probably" killed Mansour and an armed male combatant travelling with him. |
| There have been conflicting reports from the Taliban. | There have been conflicting reports from the Taliban. |
| Senior commander Mullah Abdul Rauf told Associated Press that Mansour had been killed, but that the strike happened late on Friday. | Senior commander Mullah Abdul Rauf told Associated Press that Mansour had been killed, but that the strike happened late on Friday. |
| Other reports denied his death. One unnamed Taliban commander told Reuters: "We heard about these baseless reports, but this not first time. Just wanted to share with you my own information that Mullah Mansour has not been killed." | Other reports denied his death. One unnamed Taliban commander told Reuters: "We heard about these baseless reports, but this not first time. Just wanted to share with you my own information that Mullah Mansour has not been killed." |
| False rumours have often surrounded Taliban leaders. | False rumours have often surrounded Taliban leaders. |
| Analysis: Inayatulhaq Yasini, Editor, BBC Pashto online | |
| The death of Mullah Mansour would be a big blow for the Taliban. | The death of Mullah Mansour would be a big blow for the Taliban. |
| He was gradually tightening his grip on the movement by bringing into his fold other leading Taliban members, including a son and a brother of his predecessor Mullah Mohammed Omar, and by launching large scale attacks on Afghan security forces. | He was gradually tightening his grip on the movement by bringing into his fold other leading Taliban members, including a son and a brother of his predecessor Mullah Mohammed Omar, and by launching large scale attacks on Afghan security forces. |
| Under his leadership, the Taliban managed to capture an important city last year for the first time in 15 years. | Under his leadership, the Taliban managed to capture an important city last year for the first time in 15 years. |
| Mansour also managed to silence the splinter Taliban group under Mullah Muhammad Rasool, which challenged his leadership, and is credited by his followers for containing so-called Islamic State in Taliban areas. | Mansour also managed to silence the splinter Taliban group under Mullah Muhammad Rasool, which challenged his leadership, and is credited by his followers for containing so-called Islamic State in Taliban areas. |
| A vacuum created by his death would once again trigger a leadership struggle. | A vacuum created by his death would once again trigger a leadership struggle. |
| Mr Kerry, on a visit to Myanmar, said: "This action sends a clear message to the world that we will continue to stand with our Afghan partners as they work to build a more stable, united, secure and prosperous Afghanistan. | Mr Kerry, on a visit to Myanmar, said: "This action sends a clear message to the world that we will continue to stand with our Afghan partners as they work to build a more stable, united, secure and prosperous Afghanistan. |
| "Peace is what we want. Mansour was a threat to that effort." | "Peace is what we want. Mansour was a threat to that effort." |
| A spokesman for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said: "Our hope in the wake of the strike is for the Afghan-led peace process to bring lasting peace and stability." | A spokesman for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said: "Our hope in the wake of the strike is for the Afghan-led peace process to bring lasting peace and stability." |
| Mr Abdullah said Mansour had been "the main figure preventing the Taliban joining the peace process". |