Afghan officials prepare comment amid reports of Taliban leader death

The Washington Post

KABUL, Afghanistan - Afghan officials said Wednesday they were examining unconfirmed reports that the leader of the Taliban has died, but there was no immediate comment from the militant group on the claims.

Zafar Hashemi, a deputy spokesman for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, told reporters in Kabul that an investigation was underway into reports of the death of Mullah Mohammed Omar - a secretive figure who first took up arms against the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s, but became known to the world later as the host of al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden.

Various Afghan and Pakistani media outlets, citing Afghan government sources, had reported that Omar had died, possibly years ago. The reports surfaced just days before the next round of peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government.

In the past, Taliban's official spokesmen have repeatedly denied rumors of Omar's death.

The one-eyed Omar - who was rarely photographed or appeared in public events - is credited with being the ideological leader of the Taliban as it rose from a band of Islamist insurgents in the 1980s to take control of Afghanistan in the 1990s and provide haven for al-Qaida.

The Taliban was toppled by American forces and others after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, but the group has remained as a potent militant force in Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan and carries out frequent attacks.

A second round of peace talks was scheduled to begin Friday in the Pakistan resort town of Murree. Omar has remained a symbolic figure of unity among the Taliban even as various factions split over whether to seek a cease-fire with Ghani's government or press ahead with their insurgency.

Although there has been no official confirmation, several sources in Kabul who have had close dealings with the Taliban note possible hints that Omar could no longer be in control. Recent statements attributed to Omar seemed to soften his longtime hard-line stance against peace talks. It also was distributed without any audio, a Taliban practice in past years.

The rumors of Omar's death have been intensifying for months, with several wildly contradictory versions circulating. One version put out by an insurgent group calling itself the Fedayeen Mahaz alleges that he was murdered by one of his associates. Another version is that he died after a long illness, possibly hepatitis.

If his death is confirmed, it could complicate the peace bid amid potential succession battles within the Taliban.

The most logical successor is Akthar Mohammed Mansour, his longtime deputy and senior aide. But some Taliban are said to favor Omar's son Yacub, a recent Muslim seminary graduate in his 20s who has no militia experience.

'Omar's role has been extraordinarily influential. If these reports are true, the question of a successor will be the first thing that has to be dealt with before negotiations can go on,” said Abdul Hakim Mujahid, a former Taliban diplomat and current member of the Afghan High Peace Council that was set up to promote negotiations.

In Pakistan, a Pakistan security official said the Omar officials were still considered 'speculative.”

'The timing of such reports is questionable as talks being held for peace in Afghanistan,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity under briefing rules.

Earlier this month, the Taliban asserted responsibility for a suicide bombing against an NATO convoy in Kabul. Hours later, suspected Taliban gunmen tried to storm an Afghan intelligence office in the Afghan capital.

In June, Taliban fighters launched an attack on the Afghanistan parliament while it was in session, forcing panicked lawmakers to flee.