A rift has emerged in the ranks of Afghanistan's ousted Taliban militia, with members of the breakaway faction saying they no longer recognize fugitive leader Mullah Mohammad Omar. Sabir Momin, who was the Taliban's deputy operations commander in southern Afghanistan, said on Monday the dissident group is named Taliban Jamiat Jaish-e-Muslimeen (Muslim Army of the Taliban).
| Another faction to add to the hitlist. |
Momin told Reuters the faction had the support of about one third of Taliban fighters, and did not recognize the one-eyed Mullah Omar, one of the world's most wanted men for helping shelter Osama bin Laden and his al Qaeda network until late 2001. Momin did not say how many insurgents there were in the Taliban. Momin added that the new group was being led by Mullah Syed Mohammad Akbar Aga, a 45-year-old commander from the southern Afghan city of Kandahar. Mullah Omar is also from Kandahar, the Taliban's stronghold before the hardline Islamic militia was ousted by U.S.-led forces in 2001. Mullah Manzoor, a spokesman for the dissident group, said Omar had lost control of senior military commanders. "The objective of our group is not to weaken the jihad ("holy war"), but to strengthen it," he said. "More groups can also be formed. Our aim is jihad. There will be no let up in our jihadi activities while American forces remain in Afghanistan."
| Factions, in-fighting, desention in the ranks, I love good news. |
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