Afghanistan’s Taliban says Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada has been appointed the new chief of the group following the death of Mullah Akhtar Mansoor.
In a Pashto language statement on Wednesday, the Tailban also formally confirmed Mansoor was killed in a U.S. drone attack last week.
“Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada has been appointed as the new leader of the Islamic Emirate (Taliban) after a unanimous agreement in the shura (the supreme council), and all the members of shura pledged allegiance to him,” the Taliban statement said.
U.S. President Barack Obama confirmed on Monday that Mansoor was eliminated because he was blocking Afghan peace and reconciliation efforts.
The new Taliban leader was a deputy to Mansoor along with Sirajuddin Haqqani, the leader of the notorious Haqqani network.
Haqqani has retained his position while the son of the group’s founder, Mullah Yaqoob, has been appointed as a second deputy to the new Taliban chief.