This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-33740337
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 2 | Version 3 |
---|---|
Afghan militant leader Jalaluddin Haqqani 'has died' | Afghan militant leader Jalaluddin Haqqani 'has died' |
(36 minutes later) | |
Jalaluddin Haqqani, the Afghan founder of the militant Haqqani network, died at least a year ago, sources close to the group have told the BBC. | Jalaluddin Haqqani, the Afghan founder of the militant Haqqani network, died at least a year ago, sources close to the group have told the BBC. |
Haqqani died after a long illness and was buried in Afghanistan, the sources added. | Haqqani died after a long illness and was buried in Afghanistan, the sources added. |
Rumours about Haqqani's death have circulated for some years and can still not be independently confirmed. | Rumours about Haqqani's death have circulated for some years and can still not be independently confirmed. |
The latest report comes a day after the Taliban acknowledged that its leader, Mullah Omar, was dead. | The latest report comes a day after the Taliban acknowledged that its leader, Mullah Omar, was dead. |
Reports of Haqqani's death, quoting Taliban sources, also appeared in Pakistani media on Friday. One senior Afghan official said he had died six years ago. | |
The network has never confirmed the death of its founder. A man linked to the family denied Friday's reports, telling the BBC that Jalaluddin Haqqani was still alive but ill. | |
The Haqqani network - based in the tribal regions of Pakistan with links to al-Qaeda and the Taliban - has been behind many of the co-ordinated attacks on Afghan and Nato forces in recent years. | The Haqqani network - based in the tribal regions of Pakistan with links to al-Qaeda and the Taliban - has been behind many of the co-ordinated attacks on Afghan and Nato forces in recent years. |
Haqqani's son, Sirajuddin Haqqani, has long been thought to be in de facto control of the group and has just been announced as a deputy leader of the Taliban. | Haqqani's son, Sirajuddin Haqqani, has long been thought to be in de facto control of the group and has just been announced as a deputy leader of the Taliban. |
Tribal regions | Tribal regions |
Jalaluddin Haqqani was an Afghan guerrilla leader who fought Soviet troops that occupied Afghanistan in 1980s. | Jalaluddin Haqqani was an Afghan guerrilla leader who fought Soviet troops that occupied Afghanistan in 1980s. |
US officials have admitted that at the time he was a prized asset of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). | US officials have admitted that at the time he was a prized asset of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). |
However, he later allied himself to the Taliban after they took power in Afghanistan in 1996. Haqqani served as a cabinet minister under the Taliban's supreme leader, Mullah Omar. | However, he later allied himself to the Taliban after they took power in Afghanistan in 1996. Haqqani served as a cabinet minister under the Taliban's supreme leader, Mullah Omar. |
The Haqqani network was one of several militant groups that operated from the tribal regions along the Afghan-Pakistan border following the US-led military campaign in Afghanistan, which began in 2001. | The Haqqani network was one of several militant groups that operated from the tribal regions along the Afghan-Pakistan border following the US-led military campaign in Afghanistan, which began in 2001. |
Analysts say the network has always been part of the Taliban and its members accepted Mullah Omar as their leader. | Analysts say the network has always been part of the Taliban and its members accepted Mullah Omar as their leader. |
On Thursday the Taliban said it had appointed deputy leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour as successor to Mullah Omar. | On Thursday the Taliban said it had appointed deputy leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour as successor to Mullah Omar. |
Correspondents say the move is likely to divide the group and that many senior figures opposed the appointment. | Correspondents say the move is likely to divide the group and that many senior figures opposed the appointment. |