Dissidents Taliban appoint new leader

After four months differences between Taliban leaders, the opposed Taliban leaders picks a rival leader in challenge to new chief.

Taliban commanders who had opposed Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Masour as their Supreme Leader have formed their own group and chosed Mullah Mohammad Rasool as their leader.

Differences arose among the Taliban ranks after the announcement of the death of Taliban supreme leader Mullah Muhammad Omar Mujahid on July 30, 2015.

Mullah Mohammad Rasool Akhund was one of several Taliban commanders challenging Mansoor’s appointment as emir.

“We tried our level best to save the Taliban movement from disintegration but after Mansoor’s refusal to step down … We finally parted ways with him and chose our own emir,” a senior member of the rival faction said. “Akhund is our new emir. He will now lead the mujahideen to continue their fight against the U.S.-led foreign forces and the Afghan security troops.”

The group’s announcement is believed to be the first public and official split of the Afghan Taliban since the group formed in the 1990s.

The Taliban formal spokesmen have not said anything about the appointment of Mullah Muhammad Rasool and his deputies so far.

The reports about rifts and divisions among Taliban came at a time when military and non-military Taliban have united with Mullah Akhtar Muhammad Mansoor in Afghanistan. They made advance movement in various parts of Afghanistan in no time. They captured Kunduz city for the first time in the past 14 years.

Akhund is 50 years old and hails from the birthplace of the Afghan Taliban in Kandahar province, according to two senior members of the Taliban.

After the Taliban was ousted from power in Afghanistan, Akhund served as governor of Nimroz province and later shadow governor of Farah province.