KABUL (Web Desk) – Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Omar is dead, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani confirmed on Wednesday.
Any independent source was, however, unable to confirm the news as the cause of death is unknown.
#NewsAlert | Afghan media quoting anonymous sources reports Taliban leader Mullah Omar’s death
— Hindustan Times (@htTweets) July 29, 2015
The death of Mullah Omar was confirmed during a security meeting, an Afghan official told 1TV on condition of anonymity.
The news comes as Afghan officials and Taliban representatives are expected to meet for second round of peace talks on Friday.
Mullah Omar has not been seen in public since US forces ousted his government in 2001.
A Taliban splinter group Mahaz Fidayee recently said that Omar had been killed in an insider attack two years ago.
However, on occasion of Eid, Taliban posted a message in name of Mullah Omar where he endorsed peace talks as legitimate. In April, Taliban released biography of him saying their chief was alive and well.
More details will be published shortly.
