Afghan Taliban praises new leader Mullah Mohammad Akhtar Mansoor

Kabul, July 31: The Afghan Taliban has issued a statement praising its new leader Mullah Mohammad Akhtar Mansoor, media reported.

Mullah Akhtar Muhammad Mansoor has been appointed as the new chief or emir of the Afghan Taliban.

In the absence of Mullah Omar since 2013, it was Mansoor who was leading the Taliban. He was also the person involved in the peace talks with the Afghan government over the past couple of months.

Akhtar Mansoor has been termed as one of the most "trusted" associates of the late Mullah Mohammad Omar in the statement issued by the group

The statement issued on Friday has been sent to The Associated Press, says the new leader, Mullah Mohammad Akhtar Mansoor, has also been given the title of "Commander of the Faithful," conferring on him the supreme status held by Mullah Omar.

It describes Mansoor as an "active director" of the jihad, or holy war, for some years.

Mullah Omar was confirmed dead by the Afghanistan government. He had died in the year 2013 at a hospital in Karachi. Taliban has also confirmed his death on Thursday.

The Taliban reacted by pulling out of peace talks that were scheduled to take place on Friday.

OneIndia News