| Submit your comments on this article |
| India-Pakistan |
| Taliban leadership struggle fuels wave of attacks in Afghanistan |
| 2015-08-13 |
| [DAWN] A recent spike in attacks in Kabul ...the capital of Afghanistan. Home to continuous fighting from 1992 to 1996 between the forces of would-be strongman and Pak ISI/Jamaat-e-Islami sock puppet Gulbuddin Hekmayar and the Northern Alliance, a period which won Hek the title Most Evil Man in the Worldand didn't do much for the reputations of the Northern Alliance guys either.... was designed to prove the Afghan Taliban's new leader was firmly in charge, the group said, but Mullah Akhtar Mansoor's position remains precarious as holy mans and top Lions of Islam meet secretly to decide whether to back him. Divisions are deep over Mansoor's appointment as head of the hardline Islamist movement fighting since its ouster in 2001 to overthrow Afghanistan's Western-backed government and re-establish strict Islamic rule. A Taliban front man confirmed two of three big suicide bombs last week within 24 hours were in response to rumours that the holy warriors had been weakened by disputes following confirmation of the death of founder Mullah Omar ... a minor Pashtun commander in the war against the Soviets who made good as leader of the Taliban. As ruler of Afghanistan, he took the title Leader of the Faithful. The imposition of Pashtunkhwa on the nation institutionalized ignorance and brutality in a country already notable for its own fair share of ignorance and brutality... . "Some of these attacks were already planned, but the aim at this stage was to convey a message to those saying the Taliban had been split into factions," said Zabihullah Mujahid. "We wanted to convey a message that the Emirate of Afghanistan is still intact and is capable of carrying out attacks on highly guarded installations," added Mujahid Whether the violence in the capital indicates a long-term escalation of the insurgency and an abandonment of fledgling peace talks begun last month may become clearer once Taliban leaders and religious scholars resolve the leadership row. According to several Taliban sources, a group of around 1,000 religious scholars has been meeting senior figures in the movement opposed to Mansoor. He was named leader by the Taliban's shura council. They are also due to meet Mansoor himself, although direct contact has not been possible because of security concerns, according to people close to him. |
| Posted by:Fred |