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| Taliban leader Mullah Omar is dead, says Afghan government | Taliban leader Mullah Omar is dead, says Afghan government |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| The Afghan government has said that Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar died in Pakistan more than two years ago. | The Afghan government has said that Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar died in Pakistan more than two years ago. |
| The announcement was based on “credible information”, the president’s spokesman said in an emailed statement on Wednesday, without providing any further details on what the information was. | The announcement was based on “credible information”, the president’s spokesman said in an emailed statement on Wednesday, without providing any further details on what the information was. |
| Related: Mullah Omar – the evasive ghost who lead the Taliban through secrecy | |
| “The government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, based on credible information, confirms that Mullah Mohammad Omar, leader of the Taliban died in April 2013 in Pakistan,” the statement said. | “The government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, based on credible information, confirms that Mullah Mohammad Omar, leader of the Taliban died in April 2013 in Pakistan,” the statement said. |
| “The government of Afghanistan believes that grounds for the Afghan peace talks are more paved now than before, and thus calls on all armed opposition groups to seize the opportunity and join the peace process.” | “The government of Afghanistan believes that grounds for the Afghan peace talks are more paved now than before, and thus calls on all armed opposition groups to seize the opportunity and join the peace process.” |
| The White House said it believed the reports of Omar’s death were credible and US intelligence was looking into them. | The White House said it believed the reports of Omar’s death were credible and US intelligence was looking into them. |
| The Taliban has yet to confirm or deny the claims, which follow a week of speculation about the the fate of the insurgent leader. A Pakistani intelligence official, speaking to the Guardian, said they had been aware of Omar’s death since January 2014, based on information received from “close aides” of the militant chief and family members. | The Taliban has yet to confirm or deny the claims, which follow a week of speculation about the the fate of the insurgent leader. A Pakistani intelligence official, speaking to the Guardian, said they had been aware of Omar’s death since January 2014, based on information received from “close aides” of the militant chief and family members. |
| Afghanistan’s government was only informed after the recent peace discussions held by representatives of the Taliban and the Kabul government outside the Pakistani capital, he said. “Since we have to reveal it, we are doing so now,” he said. “Omar is dead and this is not something that happened now or in the recent past.” | Afghanistan’s government was only informed after the recent peace discussions held by representatives of the Taliban and the Kabul government outside the Pakistani capital, he said. “Since we have to reveal it, we are doing so now,” he said. “Omar is dead and this is not something that happened now or in the recent past.” |
| Related: Dead or alive? The story of the Taliban's missing leader Mohammed Omar | |
| Hasib Sediqi, spokesman for the Afghan intelligence agency, NDS, said the agency has known for a while that Omar “died suspiciously” in a hospital in Karachi in April 2013. | Hasib Sediqi, spokesman for the Afghan intelligence agency, NDS, said the agency has known for a while that Omar “died suspiciously” in a hospital in Karachi in April 2013. |
| “We have been raising this question for the last one-and-a-half years,” he said, “We have intelligence that Mullah Omar is no longer alive. Now we are happy that foreign forces are confirming this as well.” | “We have been raising this question for the last one-and-a-half years,” he said, “We have intelligence that Mullah Omar is no longer alive. Now we are happy that foreign forces are confirming this as well.” |
| Rumours of the Taliban leader’s death have been rife for years. Omar, who was the Taliban’s head of state from 1996, has not been seen in public since the US-led coalition toppled his government in 2001. | Rumours of the Taliban leader’s death have been rife for years. Omar, who was the Taliban’s head of state from 1996, has not been seen in public since the US-led coalition toppled his government in 2001. |
| The reports of Omar’s death come amid deepening divisions within the Taliban. | The reports of Omar’s death come amid deepening divisions within the Taliban. |
| Recently, some commanders had begun to openly question whether Omar was alive, stirring speculation about who should head the movement. Omar’s death is likely throw the Taliban into a struggle over the succession. | Recently, some commanders had begun to openly question whether Omar was alive, stirring speculation about who should head the movement. Omar’s death is likely throw the Taliban into a struggle over the succession. |
| This week, Pakistani media reported that Omar’s eldest son, 26-year-old Mullah Mohammad Yaqoub, was challenging the movement’s official number two, Mullah Akhtar Mansoor, for the leadership. | This week, Pakistani media reported that Omar’s eldest son, 26-year-old Mullah Mohammad Yaqoub, was challenging the movement’s official number two, Mullah Akhtar Mansoor, for the leadership. |
| The claims of Omar’s death also come at a time when the Afghan president, Ashraf Ghani is trying to restart peace talks with the insurgents. The first attempts at talks have deeply divided the movement, with hardliners determined to push for an all-out military victory. | The claims of Omar’s death also come at a time when the Afghan president, Ashraf Ghani is trying to restart peace talks with the insurgents. The first attempts at talks have deeply divided the movement, with hardliners determined to push for an all-out military victory. |
| A senior diplomat closely involved in efforts to bring about a negotiated settlement said the death of Omar could badly damage peace efforts if the movement continued to fracture. | A senior diplomat closely involved in efforts to bring about a negotiated settlement said the death of Omar could badly damage peace efforts if the movement continued to fracture. |
| In an attempt to stem discontent, the Taliban leadership published a “biography” on Omar in April, emphasising that he was still the rightful leader of the faithful and of the Islamic emirate of Afghanistan, as the movement called the country while it was in power. | In an attempt to stem discontent, the Taliban leadership published a “biography” on Omar in April, emphasising that he was still the rightful leader of the faithful and of the Islamic emirate of Afghanistan, as the movement called the country while it was in power. |
| Previous reports in 2011 of Omar’s death, which the Taliban rebutted, were started by the Afghan intelligence agency and leaked to national media. | Previous reports in 2011 of Omar’s death, which the Taliban rebutted, were started by the Afghan intelligence agency and leaked to national media. |