Akhtar Mansour

Mullah
Akhtar Mohammad Mansour
ملا اختر محمد منصور

Akhtar Mansour is seen here in a photo taken in Frankfurt, Germany, during 1998.[1]
Supreme leader of the Taliban
In office
29 July 2015 – 21 May 2016
Preceded by Mohammed Omar
Succeeded by Hibatullah Akhundzada
Governmental offices
In office
as Minister of Civil Aviation for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan from September 1996 – 2001
Personal details
Born 1968[2] (otherwise)[3][4][5]
Karize, Band Taimor, Maywand District, Kandahar Province, Afghanistan
Died 21 May 2016[6]
Alma mater Darul Uloom Haqqania[7]
Religion Deobandi Sunni Islam
Military service
Allegiance
Years of service 1985–1992
1995–2016
Rank Supreme commander
Battles/wars Soviet-Afghan War
Afghan Civil War
War in Afghanistan (2001–2014)

Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour (Pashto: اختر محمد منصور‎; /ɑːktɑː mɑːnsʊər/ or /æktɑː mænsʊər/; c. 1968 – 21 May 2016) was the Emir (leader) of the Taliban, an Islamic fundamentalist political movement in Afghanistan.[8]

On 21 May 2016, it was reported by a United States Department of Defense official that Mansour had been killed in a U.S. drone strike in Pakistan.[9] The official, who was not sanctioned to speak publicly about the attack, said Mansour and a second militant were believed killed when a drone hit a vehicle in which they were riding. The strike was approved by U.S. President Barack Obama who said he hoped Mansour's removal would lead to the Taliban joining a peace process.[10][11] The Afghan government, members of the Taliban, and President Obama all later officially confirmed his death.[12][13] On 25 May 2016, Hibatullah Akhundzada was promoted to the top position in the Taliban.[14]

Early life

Mansoor is thought to have been born either in a village named Kariz or another named Band-i-Taimoor (source: I.E.A.), both in the Maiwand District of Kandahar Province in southern Afghanistan, sometime during the 1960s. The biography released by the Talibans' Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan website shows 1347 according to the solar Hijri calendar, corresponding to 1968, a date corroborated by S. Mehsud, of the C.T.C. West Point; According to Ahmed Rashid, Mansoor belonged to the Alizai tribe, but other sources claim that he was of the Ishaqzai tribe,[note 1] in any case, both the Alizai and the Ishaqzai are of the Durrani line of the Pashtun people. Mullah Mansoor was educated at a village mosque and joined primary school at about the age of seven (source: I.E.A.).[2][3][4][5][7][8][15][16][17][18][19][20]

Soviet war and mujahideen era

During 1985 he joined the jihadi war against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, and this included, or at sometime also, he joined the Mohammad Nabi Mohammadi group, during the same Soviet–Afghan War. Mohammad Omar was then a commander of one of the groups of Mohammad Nabi Mohammadi. Mansoor participated in the war ( jihad ) against the Russians in Maiwand, Sang-e-Hessar, Zangawat and other parts of the city, and the Pashmul area of the Panjwai district, under the command of Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhond, apparently commanded by him at least while fighting at the last location. During 1987 he was apparently injured (sustaining 13 separate wounds according to the I.E.A. source), while stationed at Sanzary area of Panjwai district in Kandahar. Known as one of the prominent warriors, Mansoor joined the Maulvi Obaidullah Ishaqzai group in 1987 but later Ishaqzai surrendered to Nur ul-Haq Ulumi, now the interior minister. Soon afterwards, he migrated to Quetta.[5][8]

After the war, Mansoor resumed his religious education in different seminaries and later shifted to Peshawar where he joined Jamia Mohammadia at the Jalozai Refugee camp. He was a student at Darul Uloom Haqqania madrassa, which is where Mohammed Omar also studied. He was apparently a popular student, during his time at the madrassa from 1994 to 1995, located within the Jalozai refugee camp for Afghans near Peshawar, Pakistan, according to Afghan journalist Sami Yousafzai, who met him during that time.[4][5][19]

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan

After the capture of Kandahar airport he was appointed as director general, or otherwise termed, security officer in charge, of the Kandahar airport, a role which encompassed both the air force and air-defence systems of Kandahar. After the taking of Kabul during the 1996 he was made director of Ariana airlines, and additionally Minister of the Emirate for aviation and tourism, by Mohammed Omar, within the Talebani Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, together with his overseeing the Emirates' air force and air-defence systems, from his additional appointment as head of these within the ministry of defence. Notably, while minister, Mullah Mansoor organized a 24-hour flights services within Afghanistan, thereby organizing the provision of facilities for Muslims to go to Mecca as Hajj via air-flight. During 1996 the Mullah appointed the individual Farid Ahmed to station manager of Ariana airlines.[8][21][22][23][24][25]

During 1997, when the Taliban tried unsuccessfully to capture the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif, Mansoor was captured by an Uzbek warlord. For two months he remained there as a prisoner of war before Mohammed Omar traded him out.[26]

During 1998, the Mullah visited amongst other places within the area, Frankfurt, and Prague of the Czech Republic, for a period of 25 days, as part of his visit to the unofficial envoy to Europe at the time, Mullah Nek Muhammad:[1]

He came to Germany to purchase airport equipment, parts for airliners and military choppers for the Taliban air force
— Mullah Nek Muhammad, as reported by S. Yousafzai

After the conclusion of the hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight 814, Akther Masour is reported, by Anand Arni, a former officer with the Indian organisation Research & Analysis Wing, as being seen embracing Maulana Masood Azhar, the then leader of Jaish-e-Mohammed.[27][28]

In 2001, he surrendered to the Afghan President Hamid Karzai to ask for amnesty. He was forgiven after which he returned to his home district. American forces however refusing to believe he and other senior Taliban commanders had given up fighting, conducted a series of night raids to capture him after which he fled to Pakistan, where he helped to shape the Taliban as an insurgent organisation.[18]

Mullah Mansour was appointed as shadow governor of Kandahar, from sometime after 2001, until May 2007.[22][29][30]

In a previously secret state communication of the U.S. government in 2006, Akhtar Mansoor was listed as the 23rd member of the Taliban (with the late Mohammed Omar as the first member).[31]

Activity c. August 2007, according to leaked material

Mansour attended a meeting dated 24 August 2007 with other senior Taliban officials, so that he and those others present might discuss and organize a potential suicide bombing and bombing campaign upon the areas of Kandahar and the Helmand Province, and also particularly focused on killing Ahmad Wali Karzai and Hamid Karzai.[32]

Quetta Shura and Taliban insurgency

The council of the Taliban appointed him as deputy to the newly appointed Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar during 2007, the Indian Express reported Akthar Mansour as appointed to the Taliban's Quetta Shura (council for political and military matters and affairs), sometime during 2007, while within Quetta. One source gives Mansoor as being appointed deputy to Mohammed Omar during 2010; another source states him to have been "by some accounts" the second most senior member of the Taliban behind Mohammed Omar, during 2010. A contradictory report states his appointment occurred during 2013 after Abdul Ghani Baradar, the then deputy, was jailed. A source claims to know of Akther Mansour having a "direct influence" over military units operating within Khost, Paktia and Paktika, at a time after his appointment to the Council of the Taliban.[22][23][27][33][34][35]

Wahid Muzhda is quoted as saying, in reference to Akther Mansoor:[35][36]

"in 2013 he convinced other Taliban leaders to open the group's political office in Qatar to initiate negotiations with the West."

a fact which is corroborated by an additional report, which states the office was within Doha, Qatar.[33]

According to a 2014 report, Akther Mansoor, together with Abdul Qayum Zakir and Gul Agha Ishakzai, were stated to be involved in fighting over control of a major opium-producing area (land of Maiwand District) against a co-founder of the Taliban movement, Abdul Ghani Baradar.[37][38]

An article, published 12 March 2015, stated Mullah Mansour and Abdul Qayum Zakir, who were long-term rivals, had met together in order to find an agreement and at the meeting had slaughtered sheep for the purposes of a feast. The article stated Mansour was in favour of initiating so-called talks with Afghani government officials at the time, but was unable to make any progress in his own direction due to Zakir being opposed to the opening of a dialogue with the Afghan government.[39]

According to one report, dated 17 March 2015, Mullah Masoor was at that time deputy amir ul-momenin, military leader and head of the shura of Quetta.[40]

Mansour wrote a letter to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, on behalf of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, released on June 16, 2015, in order to express his concerns of the potential for a negative influence of ISIS upon Afghan Talibans' progress, since ISIS activities might pose a risk of causing "multiplicity" within forces of the jihad of Afghanistan. The letter, appealing to the unity of "religious brotherhood", requests al-Baghdadi might extend "goodwill" to the Taliban, which "doesn't want to see interference in its affairs". The letter was written in the Pashto language, and released within the Voice of Jihad site.[29][41][42]

Additionally, the letter shows Mansour considered the late (Sheikhs) Abdullah Azzam and Osama bin Laden, the late Abu Musab al Zarqawi and Ibn al-Khattab, to be heroes. In addition the letter expresses recognition of the support to the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, of "famous religious scholars", of these he provides (Sheikh) Hamud bin Uqla al Shuaybi as an example.[29]

Leader of the Taliban

Akhtar Mansour was elected leader of the Taliban organisation on 29 July 2015. The results were announced on Thursday 30 July.[30][43][44]

Internal dissent

The Taliban splinter group Fidai Mahaz claimed Mohammed Omar was assassinated in a coup led by Akhtar Mansour and Gul Agha. Taliban commander Mansoor Dadullah, brother of former senior commander Dadullah, also claimed that Omar had been assassinated. Mullah Yaqoob, Omar's eldest son, denied that his father had been killed, insisting that he died of natural causes. A Ṭālibān communique published 30 July 2015 stated Mullah Omar had died within hospital.[45][46][47][48][49]

Mullah Mansoor is to have "closely kept the secret that Mullah Omar had been dead" despite the (leaking) of a report of Omar's death in 2013.[24][50]

Dissension

Some Taliban sources considered Mansour's selection as leader to be invalid, while other senior Ṭālibān commanders and officials preferred Mohammed Omar's eldest son, Mohammad Yaqoob, to have ascended as leader. Yaqoob was said to have been supported by his uncle, Abdul Manan and former Taliban military chief Abdul Qayyum Zakir. The head of the Talibans' political office in Qatar, Tayyab Agha also opposed the selection of Mansour as leader. However, a statement allegedly from Zakir denied he had any conflict with Mansour. Yaqoob is known to have publicly rejected the appointment of Akhtar Mansoor.[51][52][53][54][55][56]

Features of Mansoor's leadership

Mansoor announced one of his deputies to be Sirajuddin Haqqani.[20]

The Mullah is thought to have had dealings of some kind with the Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence organisation.[24]

On 13 August 2015, al-Qaeda's media wing As-Sahab issued a pledge of allegiance from Ayman al-Zawahiri to Akhtar Mansour.[57]

Sometime within August, Mullah Mansoor sent a delegation to meetings with officials of the Afghan government, which was subsequently "hailed as a breakthrough".[58]

A Security Council report, dated to the immediate September after Mansours' inauguration, showed he, as the new leader, was unwilling to engage in negotiations for the purposes of assuring peace.[21]

The Brookings Institution reported the Mullah referred to his own leadership as Commander of the faithful, a translation of Amir al-Mu'minin. A separate source states the Mullah used this particular title to refer to his role as leader of jihad. The Mullah was, according to RAND corporation, and elsewhere, leading a jihad (i.e. an insurgent force) limited to concerns orientated only to within Afghanistan, and not elsewhere.[59][60][61][62]

Communications

In a communication reported within the Islam Times (and elsewhere) published 22 September 2015 (Eid al-Adha), the Mullah stated (excerpt of communication):[63][64]

According to a report published on 5 November 2015, the Mullah stated his opinion that modern education was a "necessity".[65]

Akther Mansoor released his first communication as leader of the Taliban on 1 August 2015 as part of a 30-minute (or 33-minute, according to Al Jazeera) video release:[30][51][66]

... We should all work to preserve unity, division in our ranks will only please our enemies, and cause further problems for us ...Our goal and slogan is to implement sharia and an Islamic system, and our jihad will continue until this is done ...

The Mullah stated his position with regards to peace talks; the suggestion of his being willing to engage in peace talks as "enemy propaganda".[67]

The website of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan published a biography of Mullah A.M. Mansoor on the occasion of his becoming Emir.[68]

Death and previous reports of injury

There were unconfirmed reports that Mullah Mansour was shot and wounded during a confrontation with other senior Taliban members inside a house on the outskirts of Quetta in Pakistan on 2 December 2015.[69][70] Reports published in the following days claimed that Mansoor had died of his injuries. Sources for these reports included Taliban leaders and Afghan governmental officials, Afghanistan Vice President General Abdul Rashid Dostum was named by one media organization as a source,[71][72][73] although the Afghan government is known to have previously released statements which later proved to be untrue.[74] Members of the Taliban, including Zabihullah Mujahid, dismissed the reports, with claims they were falsification by their enemies.[73][75][76][77][78] A report published 5 December, written by Jawad R Awan for The Nation magazine, reported that a statement was released by Latif Mansoor, personal aide to the Emir, which said that Mullah Mansoor was unwilling to comment on his status.[79]

The U.S. military conducted an airstrike against Mansoor on 21 May 2016, near the Pakistan–Afghanistan border. A U.S. military official said that he along with another militant were thought to have been killed in the airstrike. U.S. President Barack Obama confirmed on Monday, 23 May 2016, that Mansour had been killed in the American airstrike which he had sanctioned.[80] The claim of his death was backed up by confirmation from Afghan officials and Taliban members.[12][81] U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry told a press conference: "Yesterday, the United States conducted a precision airstrike that targeted Taliban leader Mullah Mansour in a remote area of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Mansour posed a continuing, imminent threat" to U.S. personnel and Afghans.[82] Kerry also declared that the leaders of both Pakistan and Afghanistan were made aware of the airstrike but he refused to elaborate on the timing of the notifications, which he said included a telephone call from him to Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.[82] A U.S. State Department spokesperson claimed that "I don’t have any more clarity of where the actual strike took place. What I can say is that it was in that border region. I just can’t say on which side of the border it was.”[6] According to the Wall Street Journal, the strike took place on the N-40 National Highway as Mansour was being driven by taxi from the Iranian border to Quetta, after a "lengthy" stay in Iran.[83] Later reports placed the missile strike close to the town of Ahmad Wal.[84] The U.S. government agencies involved reportedly agreed that officials were to be vague about identifying the location of the strike, beyond saying it took place along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.[85] A passport found at the scene belonged to a Pakistani resident of Balochistan named Wali Mohammad. This may have a pseudonym Mansour was using in Pakistan.[86]

He was succeeded by Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada.[87]

Listed by the United Nations for sanctioning

In a communique published 29 November 2011, the Mullah was identified with the reference number TI.M.11.01. as an individual associated with the Taliban and accordingly is made pursuant to sanctions, as of 25 January 2001, and these sanctions were to have any available assets frozen, to be banned from travelling and to be subject to an arms embargo.[21]

Personal information

Residences

Mullah Mansoor apparently had a home within Quetta, which is under the protection of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency, and another residence located in Dubai.[50]

Business interests

Mansour is alleged to have owned a cell-phone company, among other investments, and is claimed to have been wealthy as a result of his profiting from the dealings of Ishaqzai drug dealers. According to Richard Spencer of The Telegraph, Mansour performs his business operations via a residence located in Dubai.[50][24]

Timeline

The following is a list of reported information:

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ The other sources are: Qazi, Giustozzi;
    • c.f. also M. Martin – text (p.145) published by Oxford University Press, 1 Jul 2014, The Diplomat Magazine August 12, 2015 – Kambaiz Rafi "...Mansour's swiftly appointed first deputy, Mawlawi Haibatullah, is from his Ishaqzai tribe, enraging Zakir who belongs to the staunchly rival Alizai tribe..."

References

  1. 1 2 3 Sami Yousafzai. article. published by CBS 10 September 2015. Retrieved 2015-10-02.(access also 2015-11-02)
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Introduction of the newly appointed leader of Islamic Emirate, Mullah Akhtar Mohammad". Shahamat. 31 August 2015. Archived from the original on 2015-09-04. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 Official Journal of the European Union. COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 969/2007 of 17 August 2007 amending for the 83rd time Council Regulation (EC) No 881/2002 imposing certain specific restrictive measures directed against certain persons and entities associated with Usama bin Laden, the Al-Qaida network and the Taliban, and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 467/2001. published by the Official Journal of the European Union 17 August 2007. Retrieved 2015-10-30.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Shereena Qazi. POLITICS. published by Al Jazeera Media Network 03 Aug 2015 19:16 GMT. Retrieved 2015-08-03.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Biography of new Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansoor". Pajhwok. 31 July 2015. Retrieved August 2015. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  6. 1 2 "Unclear whether Mullah Mansour killed in Afghanistan or Pakistan: US". Retrieved 24 May 2016.
  7. 1 2 "Who is 'new Taliban leader' Akhtar Mansoor?". 30 July 2015. Retrieved August 2015. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Introduction of the newly appointed leader of Islamic Emirate, Mullah Akhtar Mohammad (Mansur), may Allah safeguard him). published August 2015 by the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Retrieved 2015-10-26.(sourced originally at J. Goldstein / The New York Times Company)
  9. ↑ "Taliban leader reportedly killed in drone strike – RTÉ News". Rte.ie. Retrieved 2016-05-22.
  10. ↑ http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-afghanistan-taliban-obama-idUSKCN0YE0F9?mod=related&channelName=worldNews
  11. ↑ "Taliban leader Mansoor killed by U.S. drone". Usatoday.com. 2001-09-11. Retrieved 2016-05-22.
  12. 1 2 "US drone strike in Pakistan kills Taliban leader Mullah Mansoor".
  13. ↑ "Obama confirms death of Taliban leader Mullah Mansour".
  14. ↑ Yusufzai, Mushtaq; Rahim, Fazul. "Taliban Confirm Death of Leader in U.S. Strike, Announce Replacement". NBC News. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  15. ↑ Rashid, Ahmed (November 1, 2015). "The Afghan battlefield has become more complicated". Al Jazeera. Retrieved November 2, 2015. ...and they resent the power now wielded by the Alizai Pashtun tribe to which Mansoor belongs
  16. ↑ Giustozzi – article published by the Tribal Analysis Centre November 2009 [Retrieved 2015-11-02]
  17. 1 2 "Mullah Omar: Taliban choose deputy Mansour as successor". BBC. 31 July 2015. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  18. 1 2 B. Dam. article. published by The Guardian. August 1, 2015. Retrieved 2015-07-31.(accessed 1st: 2015-07-31, 2nd: 2015-08-02, 3rd: 2015-11-08)
  19. 1 2 3 Robert Crilly & Ali M Latifi. Profile: Mullah Akhtar Mansoor. published by Telegraph Media Group Limited 30 Jul 2015. Retrieved 2015-08-02.
  20. 1 2 S. Mehsud. report. published October 23rd, 2015 by the Combating Terrorism Centre of Westpoint. Retrieved 2015-11-10.(c.f. West Point)
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Security Council. Press Release of Security Council 1988 Committee Entries on Its Sanctions List. published 29 November 2011. Retrieved 2015-10-30.
  22. 1 2 3 4 5 M Ilyas Khan. News Analysis. published 30 September 2015 by the British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 2015-10-30.
  23. 1 2 3 M. Rosenberg. News Analysis. The New York Times Company December 28, 2014. Retrieved 2015-07-30.
  24. 1 2 3 4 5 J. Goldstein. article. published October 4th, 2015 by The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2015-10-24.(retrieved also 2015-10-28)
  25. ↑ D. Farah, S. Braun – text published by John Wiley & Sons July 9, 2007, 320 pages, ISBN 0470048662, [Retrieved 2015-11-17]
  26. ↑ Sami Yousafzai (31 July 2015). "Up Close With the Taliban's Next King". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  27. 1 2 3 The Indian Express. Indian intelligence officials allege Akhtar Muhammad Mansour, the newly-appointed chief of the Afghan Taliban, might possibly have played a role in the hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC-814 during 1999. The Indian Express [P] Ltd. Retrieved 2015-08-03.
  28. ↑ "IC-814 hijacking: New Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour escorted Maulana Masood Azhar, says Ex-RAW officer". The Indian Express. 3 August 2015. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  29. 1 2 3 W. Roggio. report. published June 16, 2015 by The Long War Journal. Retrieved 2015-11-06.
  30. 1 2 3 "Google Translate". Retrieved 4 December 2015.
  31. ↑ FM Secretary of the State (Washington). SECRET COMMUNICATION (now unclassified) – p.131 (PDF). UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE REVIEW AUTHORITY 14 Dec 2006. Retrieved 2015-08-05.
  32. ↑ NATO / Global Counter Terrorism Forum – source published as a Secret communication by Nato & GCTF and later online by WikiLeaks [Retrieved 2015-10-24] (sourced @ Joseph Goldstein October 4, 2015 – New York Times )
  33. 1 2 3 Orlando Crowcroft. Society – Politics. IBTimes Co., Ltd July 30, 2015. Retrieved 2015-08-04.
  34. ↑ D. Filkins and C. Gall – Taliban Leader in Secret Talks Was an Impostor published originally by The New York Times November 22, 2010 (re-published by Afghanhistan News Centre (Ruhullah Khapalwak) [Retrieved 2015-08-04]
  35. 1 2 Deutsche Welle (December 3, 2015). "Mullah Mansoor′s rise to the Taliban leadership". dw.com.
  36. ↑ Deutsche Welle. "About us". dw.com.
  37. ↑ "Pakistan frees top Taliban leader Abdul Ghani Baradar". BBC News. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
  38. ↑ Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team. 4th report (S/2014/402) (PDF). United Nations Security Council 10 June 2014. Retrieved 2015-08-05.(page 12)
  39. ↑ J. Ahmad; M. Zahra-Malik. article. published March 12, 2015 by Reuters. Retrieved 2015-11-06.
  40. ↑ T. Ruttig – article published 17 March 2015 by the Afghanistan Analysts Network [Retrieved 2015-11-06]
  41. ↑ M. Mashal and T. Shah – article published September 6, 2015 by The New York Times Company [Retrieved 2015-11-05]
  42. ↑ M. Harooni & K. Johnson (including copy of material of letter signed by A.M. Mansour). article. published by Reuters June 16, 2015. Retrieved 2015-11-06.
  43. ↑ original source / translated source – published by Well Persian of ( Deutsche Welle ) [Retrieved 2015-11-08]
  44. ↑ Reporter of Tribune wire. report. published August 2, 2015 by The Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
  45. ↑ "Pakistan exposed Mullah Omar's death for its own interests: Kandahar clerics". Khaama Press. 18 August 2015. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
  46. ↑ "Mullah Omar: a myth of convenience". The Hindu. 20 August 2015. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
  47. ↑ "Why the Taliban murdered their own leader and the terrifying fallout now threatening the West". The Mirror. 21 August 2015. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
  48. ↑ "Taliban's Mullah Omar died of natural causes in Afghanistan, son says". Reuters. 14 September 2015. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
  49. ↑ S.E. Rasmussen – article published by the Guardian newspaper [Retrieved 2015-11-02]
  50. 1 2 3 Richard Spencer. article. published by Telegraph Media Group Limited 5th October 2015. Retrieved 2015-10-30.
  51. 1 2 AP. News – World:Middle East. SUNDAY 02 AUGUST 2015. Retrieved 2015-08-02.
  52. ↑ "New Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour calls for unity". BBC News. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  53. ↑ "Mullah Omar: the one-eyed man who was king". The Economist. 30 July 2015. Retrieved August 2015. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  54. ↑ "Taliban leaders dispute appointment of Mullah Mansoor". al-Jazeera. 4 August 2015. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
  55. ↑ "Taliban political chief in Qatar Tayyab Agha resigns". BBC. 4 August 2015. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
  56. ↑ "Exclusive: Walkout at Taliban leadership meeting raises specter of split". Reuters. 31 July 2015. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
  57. ↑ reporter for British Broadcasting Corporation. Al-Qaeda's Zawahiri pledges loyalty to new Taliban chief. BBC. Retrieved 2015-08-13.
  58. ↑ S. Shay. report. published by the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism 04.08.2015. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
  59. ↑ Bruce Riedel – article published by the Brookings Institution August 20, 2015 [Retrieved 2015-10-31]
  60. ↑ Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc – term definition [Retrieved 2015-10-31]
  61. ↑ Barnett Rubin. article. published by the Center on International Cooperation Nov 02, 2015 (originally published within Al Jazeera). Retrieved 2015-11-11.("...The Taliban ... have repeatedly said that their jihad is limited to their own country...")
  62. ↑ J. Eggers – published by RAND Corporation [Retrieved 2015-11-11]
  63. ↑ A.M.Mansoor
  64. ↑ Site Intelligence Group Enterprise – article (synopsis) published 21 September 2015 (or there-abouts) [Retrieved 2015-11-10]
  65. ↑ (reporter)AFP – article, 5 of November 2015 by Mailonline (Daily Mail and General Trust) [Retrieved 2015-11-17]
  66. ↑ AFP (reporter), A.M.Mansoor – News – World: Middle East published by Telstra Media 1 August 2015 [Retrieved 2015-08-02]
  67. ↑ Shashank Joshi. article. published by British Broadcasting Corporation August 5th, 2015. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
  68. ↑ "Introduction Of The Newly Appointed Leader Of Islamic Emirate, Mullah Akhtar Mohammad (Mansur), May Allah Safeguard Hi) – Islamic Emirate Of Afghanistan". Archived from the original on 2015-09-04. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  69. ↑ "Afghanistan seeks to establish fate of 'injured' Taliban chief". Yahoo News. 3 December 2015. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
  70. ↑ Afghan Taliban leader Mansour 'wounded in gunfight', BBC News, 2 December 2015
  71. ↑ "Conflicting Reports on Taliban Leader's Status Highlight Fraying Unity". New York Times. December 3, 2015. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
  72. ↑ IANS – article published by the Times of India December 4, 2015 [Retrieved 2015-12-04]
  73. 1 2 Indo-Asian News Service. "Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour dead". India.com. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  74. ↑ MUJIB MASHAL
  75. ↑ "After Taliban's denial of its leader being wounded, Kabul declares Mullah Mansoor was killed". www.firstpost.com. December 4, 2015. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
  76. ↑ "Fate of Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansoor unclear". The Nation. 4 December 2015. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  77. ↑ "Taliban supremo Mullah Akhtar Mansour dies: Afghanistan officials". The Times of India. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  78. ↑ "Taliban leader Mullah Mansour 'wounded in shoot-out'". Telegraph.co.uk. 2 December 2015. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
  79. ↑ Jawad R Awan – article published by The Nation December 05, 2015 [Retrieved 2015-12-05]
  80. ↑ U.S. says late Taliban leader was planning attacks on Americans Reuters, 23 May 2016
  81. ↑ https://www.rt.com/news/343964-taliban-afghan-leader-killed-airstrike/
  82. 1 2 http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-usa-afghanistan-taliban-kerry-idUKKCN0YD07C
  83. ↑ http://www.economist.com/news/asia/21699408-divided-terrorist-group-will-press-its-spring-offensive-afghanistan-killing
  84. ↑ "Family of driver killed in US strike on Taliban leader file criminal case". Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  85. ↑ "How the U.S. Tracked and Killed the Leader of the Taliban". The Wall Street Journal. 25 May 2015. Retrieved 25 May 2016.(subscription required)
  86. ↑ "Mullah Mansour: The trail of clues after Taliban leader's death". Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  87. ↑ "Afghan Taliban announce successor to Mullah Mansour". BBC News. 26 May 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  88. ↑ NATO / Global Counter Terrorism Forum
  89. ↑ INP – article published September 08, 2015 by The Nation [Retrieved 2015-10-31]

External links

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