Haibatullah Akhundzada Appointed As The New Leader For The Afghan Taliban

Washington Post: Taliban replaces leader killed in U.S. drone strike

KABUL — In a move seeking to end rifts within the Taliban, the insurgent group Wednesday named a new leader and confirmed the death of his predecessor last week in a U.S. drone strike.

Haibatullah Akhundzada, a cleric and once the Taliban’s top judge, was a deputy under Akhtar Mohammad Mansour, who was killed in Pakistan’s Baluchistan province on Saturday. His appointment could strengthen the divided group by easing infighting between Taliban factions.

The Taliban also struck. The announcement was accompanied by an attack in a suburb of the capital, Kabul, by a Taliban suicide bomber who killed 11 government employees on their way to work.

Alongside Sirajuddin Haqqani, another top deputy, Haibatullah served as military chief in several Afghan provinces, orchestrating attacks against government troops and rival Taliban factions that have killed scores of people in recent months.

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WNU Editor: Some in the Taliban are not happy with this choice .... Rumblings Emerge After Taliban Names New Leader (RFE).

More News On Haibatullah Akhundzada Being Appointed As The New Leader For The Afghan Taliban

Afghan Taliban appoint new leader after Mansour's death -- AP
Afghan Taliban appoint a new leader, Kabul urges peace -- Reuters
Taliban names Mullah Haibatullah as new emir -- Long War Journal
Afghan Taliban announce successor to Mullah Mansour -- BBC
Taliban Name Lesser-Known Cleric as Their New Leader -- NYT
Afghan Taliban appoint Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada as new leader -- The Guardian
Taliban names Mansour's deputy Haibatullah Akhundzada as new leader -- DW
Afghan Taliban appoint new leader Haibatullah Akhunzada after Mullah Akhtar Mansour's death -- ABC News Online
Afghan Taliban: Haibatullah Akhunzada is new leader -- Al Jazeera
Taliban replaces its dead leader – and prepares for some tricky internal politics -- UPI
Taliban Name New Leader, Confirm Death Of Mullah Mansour -- NPR
Afghan Taliban spokesman says movement's new leader has not issued audio message -- Reuters
Taliban's new leader 'natural choice' to unite group, say analysts -- CNN
What to Know About the New Taliban Commander After US Drone Strike -- ABC News
Profile: New Taliban chief Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada -- BBC
Who Is the New Taliban Leader? -- Krishnadev Calamur, The Atlantic

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