The death of the Taliban supremo, Mullah Omar, has finally been confirmed by a spokesman for Afghanistan’s security services last month in July, 2015, putting all speculations regarding his mysterious disappearance to rest. However, contrary to the Afghan assertion that Mullah Omar died in a hospital in Pakistan in April 2013, the Taliban spokesperson, Zahibullah Mujahid, in a statement to the Voice of America, clarified that the Taliban leader indeed died of an illness, however, he “did not leave Afghanistan since the US-Backed forces overthrew the group in 2001”.
Within days, the Taliban shura – central council – elected Mulla Akhtar Mansoor, as Omar’s successor, a move that was instantly snubbed by Abdul Manan, the younger brother of Mulla Omar, for lack of transparency. The war of succession, it seems, is gradually intensifying, with Manan and his supporters calling for a grand meeting of the party to determine the new Supreme Leader.
Regardless of how this issue settles in the days and weeks to come, Mulla Omar’s departure has dealt a severe blow to the Taliban movement. With the centre of gravity gone, the movement appears fractured and far from the cohesion that it has been known for. Mulla Omar’s death and the ensuing challenge to Mansoor’s leadership have interrupted – for all practical reasons – the peace talks that had begun on July 7 and at least eight Taliban commanders had landed in Islamabad on July 29 for the second round two.