Monday, November 09, 2015
Picking the next leader
Throughout history dealing with the selection of a new leader has always been a serious problem in the absence of clearly defined rules. And even with rules the lure of power has caused many to reach for the gold ring anyway. The Taliban in Afghanistan are in the middle of such a problem.
Violent clashes between two rival Taliban groups in southern Afghanistan have resulted in the death of at least 50 fighters from both sides, a police chief told Al Jazeera.The denial of ISIL is interesting but then the Taliban in Afghanistan has been Afghan-centric all along. And as this shows, they will fight anybody.
On Sunday, Mirwais Noorzai said fighters led by the newly appointed leader Mullah Mohammad Rasool clashed with those loyal to Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansoor in Zabul province.
"Civilians have left the area due to heavy clashes between the two groups," he said.
"The fight took place in the Arghandab district of Zabul province. Most of the area is under the Taliban control. We've been asking for military assistance for very long now."
Anwar Ishaqzai, governor of southern Zabul province, said the Taliban splinter group - known as the High Council of Afghanistan Islamic Emirate - has joined up with fighters from the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) group.
"The Taliban faction under Mullah Rasool was backed by the ISIL and Uzbek fighters in the fight," he said.
"About 40 Taliban from Rasool's group and 10 from Mansoor's have been killed in the fight."
However, Abdul Manan Niazi, spokesperson for the breakaway faction, denied the ISIL association.
"We will never join them. Their ideologies are different; they come from a different background and a different history," he told Al Jazeera.
"These are all false accusations. We can never ask for their support to fight our enemies or to re-establish Islamic rule."
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