KABUL’s splinter group after the collapse of long-drawn-out talks on ending rifts within the insurgent organisation, a news report said on Monday.
The militant leader had refused along with several other figures, including members of Mullah Omar’s family, to pledge allegiance to Mullah Akhtar Mansoor as new Taliban chief.
Mullah Mansoor’s ascendancy came in early August after the confirmation of the death of Taliban’s supreme leader Mullah Muhammad Omar, whose passing triggered a fierce succession struggle..
According to a report in the Pakistani newspaper, The Express Tribune, the splinter group calls itself the ‘High Council of Afghanistan Islamic Emirate’. Mansoor Dadullah has been named as deputy leaders of the outfit.
“Dadullah’s joining of the splinter group will be seen as a challenge to Akhtar Mansoor because of his influence in southern Afghanistan,” the daily said.
The newspaper quoted an unnamed dissident leader as saying Akhtar Mansoor’s rivals met in Zabul to nominate their leader. Dadullah hosted the meeting at his base.
A son of ex-jihadi leader Maulvi Nasrullah Mansoor, Sher Muhammad Mansoor was appointed as second deputy leader of the group, which has not yet formally announced its leaders and spokesman.
PAN Monitor/mud
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