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Mullah Omar 'dead': Taliban rejects claim that leader with $10m bounty on his head died at least two years ago Taliban leader Mullah Omar 'has been dead for two years', Afghan government confirms
(about 2 hours later)
Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar has reportedly died. Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar has died.
Government officials and intelligence sources have told the BBC that the reclusive leader - who the US placed a $10m million bounty on - died two to three years ago. Afghanistan's main intelligence agency confirmed the news on Wednesday that the reclusive leader - who the US placed a $10m million bounty on - died in April 2013 in a Pakistani hospital in Karachi.
The Afghan government has since confirmed that it is investigating the reports. "We confirm officially that he is dead," Abdul Hassib Seddiqi, the spokesman for Afghanistan's National Directorate of Security, told The Associated Press.
"We are still in the process of checking those reports, and as soon as we get confirmation or verification, we will inform the Afghan people and the media," Zafar Hashemi, a deputy spokesman for Afghan president Ashraf Ghani, told reporters in Kabul. Earlier on Friday a Taliban spokesperson, Quriy Yousef Ahmadi, denied reports from the BBC that their leader was dead. He told Sky News, "According to my information Mullah Omar is still alive and leading the movement."
A Taliban spokesperson, Quriy Yousef Ahmadi, told Sky News, "According to my information Mullah Omar is still alive and leading the movement." The death of Mullah Omar in 2013 raises questions over the origin of a number of official statements from the Taliban in the past two years, most recently a statement that appeared to support a partial softening of relations between his forces and that of the Afghan government.
The statement, released in early July, appears to back a fledging peace movement between the Afghan government and the Taliban with the aim of removing foreign forces. It was noted that the statement differed from the usual either visual or audio recordings, and was instead a text document - fuelling more rumours he had died.
Omar has been falsely reported as dead before. In 2011, local media in the country claimed he had been killed – reports later contradicted by Pakistani officials.Omar has been falsely reported as dead before. In 2011, local media in the country claimed he had been killed – reports later contradicted by Pakistani officials.
However, this announcement is the first to be confirmed by high-ranking Afghan officials. A Taliban spokesperson claimed to the BBC they would release a statement shortly.
Omar, who led the Taliban to victory over various militias following the Soviet withdrawal (during which he allegedly lost an eye to shrapnel), was made the 'Supreme Leader' of the Taliban movement in 1998.Omar, who led the Taliban to victory over various militias following the Soviet withdrawal (during which he allegedly lost an eye to shrapnel), was made the 'Supreme Leader' of the Taliban movement in 1998.
His alliance with Osama Bin Laden prompted the invasion that would eventually depose him in 2001 and send him into hiding for over a decade, with a $10m bounty placed on his head by the US state department.His alliance with Osama Bin Laden prompted the invasion that would eventually depose him in 2001 and send him into hiding for over a decade, with a $10m bounty placed on his head by the US state department.
His last statement, released in early July, appears to back a fledging peace movement towards the Afghan government and the Taliban with the aim of removing foreign forces. It was noted that the statement differed from the usual either visual or audio recordings, and was instead a text document - fuelling more rumours he had died. His death comes as the Taliban faces pressure from forces apparently allied to the self-declared Islamic State and amid worsening security in Afghanistan.
His alleged death comes as the Taliban faces pressure from forces apparently allied to the self-declared Islamic State and amid worsening security in Afghanistan. Additional reporting by Reuters and Associated Press
Additional reporting by Reuters