An American drone strike has “likely killed” Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour in Pakistan’s south-western province of Balochistan on Saturday, US officials said. If confirmed, his death could change the course of the Afghan insurgency, which had grown fiercer under Mansour’s leadership.
Who will succeed him Mansour was appointed head of the Taliban in July 2015 following the revelation that the group’s founder Mullah Omar had in fact been dead for two years. He was widely blamed for leading the cover-up and the roster of candidates to succeed him will include many of the same names who entered the fray last year. These include Omar’s son Mullah Yakoub, who was favoured by some commanders as new leader but at the time was too young and inexperienced, and Omar’s brother Mullah Abdul Manan Akhund. Mansour gave both of them senior positions on the group’s leadership council and both are seen as favourites to take over. Another possible successor is Mansour’s deputy Sirajuddin Haqqani leader of the feared Taliban-allied Haqqani network responsible for some of the worst attacks on Afghan and US targets.
“This could be the time Haqqanis will try to take over the whole movement,” said Pakistani security analyst Amir Rana.
Will this further splinter the Taliban Almost certainly yes. Mansour had been particularly effective at subduing dissidents and eliminating rivals.
Mullah Dadullah, a prominent dissident commander, was killed last year in a gunfight with Mansour loyalists. And Mullah Rassoul, who formed a Taliban breakaway faction, had reportedly been detained by the Pakistani military — though his followers continue to fight on in his name. If Mansour is indeed dead, analysts believe that differences are once again likely to surface within the militants.
How would this impact the security situation “This could help the peace process — if it allows the moderate faction to come to the surface,” said Ahmed Rashid, author of the book Descent into Chaos.
While infighting could buy some breathing space for beleaguered Afghan forces, the strategy of “divide and rule” may also backfire. “First Mullah Omar and now Mansour — once you take the core out of a movement it could begin to unravel,” said Imtiaz Gul, director of the Islamabad based Centre for Research and Security Studies.
“On the other hand, peacemaking will become even more difficult if you are dealing with so many leaders. This has been the strategy for several years — to splinter them and make deals — but whether that works, we don’t know.” According to Mr Rana, Mansour’s death could also pave the way for groups like the Islamic State and Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, long in the Taliban’s shadow, to emerge stronger than before.
