Mulla Omar family’s support for Mansour

PESHAWAR: Afghan Taliban leader Mulla Akhtar Mohammad Mansour’s rival group has been rendered leaderless after being ditched by late Taliban supreme leader Mulla Omar’s family.
Mulla Omar’s only surviving brother Mulla Abdul Mannan and eldest son Mulla Mohammad Yaqoob pledged allegiance to Mansour on Tuesday to bring to an end their rift that emerged following the hurried decision by the latter to get himself chosen by the Taliban’s Rahbari Shura (leadership council) as the new “ameer” (head) of the movement. This was a major victory for Mansour as Mannan and Yaqoob represented the real challenge to his leadership.
In fact, the decision by Mannan and Yaqoob to pledge loyalty to Mansour was being expected after having made it clear to the anti-Mansour camp a few days ago that they had no intention to compete for the office of the Taliban head to succeed the late Mulla Omar. Mansour had been working on winning over the uncle-nephew duo by giving them the utmost respect and offering them high positions in the Taliban movement. Mansour’s promise to consult Mannan and Yaqoob in the decision-making process was also meant to highlight the high status of Mulla Omar’s family in the 21-year old Taliban movement. The anti-Mansour faction has yet to give up its opposition to Mansour or publicly comment on the decision made by Mannan and Yaqoob to abandon the opposition camp. However, its spokesman Mulla Abdul Mannan Niazi argued while talking to The News that their group existed before Mulla Omar’s family started questioning Mansour’s appointment as the new Taliban head. “It is an individual act of Mannan and Yaqoob and has nothing to do with us. Both used to be very critical of Mansour but have now changed their mind,” he added.
He recalled that their group had given authority to the Ulema Shura that was set up to mediate between Mansour and his opponents and was waiting for its decision. “We know the Ulema Shura has come up with some proposals and we will see how Mansour responds to them. We want a decision based on Shariah,” he stressed.
According to the Taliban sources, the Ulema Shura comprising of about 20 religious scholars and led by Mulla Ahmad Rabbani had proposed setting up a commission to review the composition of the Rahbari Shura and add and remove some of its members to give representation to all sides. Another proposal is to empower the Rahbari Shura and as consequence curtail Mansour’s powers.
The leading figures in the anti-Mansour group include four Rahbari Shura members - Mulla Mohammad Hasan Rahbari, Mulla Abdul Razzaq, Mulla Mohammad Rasool and Mulla Abdul Qayyum Zakir – and certain other prominent figures such as former deputy foreign minister Mulla Abdul Jalil and military commander Baz Mohammad. However, the anti-Mansour faction has been gradually losing strength due to its inability to field a strong candidate to challenge Mansour for the job of the Taliban leader. It was unable to draw the support of Mulla Omar’s family for its cause for long. Following the move by Mulla Omar’s family to pledge allegiance to him, Mansour’s position as the new Taliban head has become unassailable. His growing strength would render the opposition weaker. And it would also enable Mansour to take major decisions whether he wants to fight on or make peace in Afghanistan.