New Taliban leader calls for unity in ranks in audio message

Image
AFP Kabul
Last Updated : Aug 01 2015 | 5:22 PM IST
New Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansoor called for unity in the movement in his first audio message released today amid reports of rifts in their ranks following the announcement of the death of former chief Mullah Omar.
"We should all work to preserve unity, division in our ranks will only please our enemies, and cause further problems for us," he said in the recording released by the group.
In the 33-minute message, the new Taliban chief also says the insurgency will continue and advises his followers not to pay attention to rumours spread about the Taliban campaign.
Mansoor replaced Taliban founder Mullah Mohammed Omar, whose death was confirmed by the militants on Thursday, although the timing of his death is unclear.
"Our goal and slogan is to implement sharia and an Islamic system, and our jihad will continue until this is done," he said in the message.
The audio message from Mansoor also mentioned peace talks with the Afghan government, though it was not clear whether he supported them.
Kabul held talks last month with the Taliban in an attempt to work towards a peace process for the war-ravaged nation, though the second round of talks that had been expected in Pakistan yesterday was postponed following the announcement of the death of Mullah Omar.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Aug 01 2015 | 5:22 PM IST

Next Story