The al-Qaeda terrorist network chief Ayman al-Zawahir has pledged allegiance to the newly appointed Taliban chief Mullah Mohammad Akhtar Mansoor.
In an online audio statement, al-Zawahiri, said “We pledge our allegiance … (to) our lord, leader of the faithful, Mullah Mohammad Akhtar Mansour, may god protect him.”
Al-Zawahiri is believed to be seeking refuge in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border area that is the Taliban’s base.
His message of allegiance comes amid disputes among the Taliban leadership regarding the appointment of Mullah Mansoor as the successor of Mullah Mohammad Omar who was declared dead last month.
Mullah Mansoor was appointed as the successor of Mullah Omar during the Taliban supreme council’s meeting called late last month.
Taliban formally confirmed the death of Mullah Omar by issuing a statement around a week and later announced the Mullah Mansoor was appointed as the group’s new supreme leader.
Reports regarding the death of Mullah Omar emerged last month suggesting Pakistan have confirmed the death of Mullah Mohammad Omar to the Afghan government.
Mullah Omar’s death was first confirmed by a splinter group of the Taliban – Afghanistan Islamic Movement Fidai Mahaz, which claimed that he was assassinated Mullah Akhtar Muhammad Mansoor and Gull Agha.
The group’s spokesman Qari Hamza said Mullah Omar was killed two years ago in the same month of July.
Hamza claimed that the group has evidences to prove their claims that Mullah Omar was killed by Mullah Akhtar Muhammad Mansoor and Gull Agha.
