Afghan Taliban spokesman denies report of Mullah Habitullah appointment as acting supreme leader
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KABUL: Mullah Haibatullah has been nominated as new Taliban supreme leader after the killing of Mullah Akhtar Mansoor, says a source close to the militant movement. Mansoor was reportedly killed during a shootout between Taliban leaders during a meeting in Quetta last week. But the outlawed movement has rejected the claim as fabricated. Meanwhile, Taliban spokesman denies report of Mullah Habitullah appointment as Taliban new leader. Mansour, according to the media reports, sustained serious injuries on Tuesday and since then has not been seen in public. Several Taliban loyalists were killed and injured in the gunfight, according to the reports. Afghanistan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah in a tweet confirmed Mullah Mansour's injury on Tuesday. Sultan Faizy, the spokesman for first Vice President Abdul Rashid Dostum, also on his Twitter account confirmed Mansour's death on Thursday. Mansour succeeded former Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar in August after confirmation of the Taliban supreme's death by the Afghanistan government and the Taliban outfit in late July. (WSJ)
