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11/22/2024 04:47:20 am

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Mullah Akhtar Mansour, Taliban Leader, Reportedly Wounded Post-Shootout

Mansour Fatally Wounded In A Shootout

(Photo : Youtube Screengrab from CCTV) This comes after animosity occurred upon Mansour's appointment as Taliban leader.

Mullah Akhtar Mansour, a Taliban leader, suffered fatal injuries during a shootout between two senior members in Pakistan last Wednesday, according to a Taliban source via Yahoo News.

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The firing was believed to be 'spontaneous' rather than a planned attack, according to BBC News.

Four gunmen were allegedly killed in the altercation that took place in the outer border of Quetta. Mansour was reportedly killed during the shootout, but this news has yet to be confirmed.

Since Mullah Mansour took over position as the leader of Taliban since the death of its founder Mullah Mohammad Omar, there has been increasing animosity within the Islamic group.

Mansour was initially Mullah Omar's deputy and he was eventually appointed as the new head.

Several subdivisions of the Islamic group resented this appointment, stating accusations that Mansour covered up Omar's demise and Pakistan maneuvered his new position as a leader.

This prompted the group to be divided as some of the Taliban commanders refuse to pledge allegiance to him.

Mansour's leadership was fully established when the group captured the northern city of Kunduz last September. The capture was marked as a hindrance for the Afghan forces, since it took them several days before they regained control of the city.

Unlike his predecessor, Mansour conducts a more 'open approach' to leadership and often conducts meetings with Taliban commanders regarding policy concerns.

Last month, another faction formed within the group headed by Mullah Muhammad Rasool.

However, Zabihullah Mujahid, the Islamic group's official representative clarified that this news is deemed as 'baseless' and denies any claim that Mansour suffered injuries from the shootout.

"This is the act of Afghan Intelligence Agencies. They spread these rumors about a clash between Taliban leaders. Nothing happened like this even in the area," said Mujahid.

Mujahid added that no incident would happen since Mansour's current location is in Afghanistan and not in Pakistan. Mujahid also pointed out that Mansour also has tight security, another reason that a fatal shootout wouldn't occur in the first place.

Sultan Faizy, official spokesperson for the Vice President of Afghanistan, announced Mansour's death via his Twitter account.

"Taliban Leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour died of injuries," tweeted Faizy.

Taliban has yet to release video or audio evidence to prove that Mansour is still alive, according to News Week. 

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