U.S. Drone Killed Taliban Leader in Pakistan (UPDATE)

The U.S. goverment reportedly killed a Taliban leader, and angered the Pakistani government.

Image via AFP

UPDATE May 25, 8:52 a.m. ET: The Taliban confirmed to The New York Times Wednesday that Mullah Akhtar Muhammad Mansour had been killed. The group announced it had replaced him with his deputy Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada, the son of former Taliban leader Mullah Muhammad Omar.

UPDATE May 23, 12:16 p.m. ET: In a statement released by the White House Monday, U.S. President Barack Obama called the death of Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansoor "an important milestone" for peace efforts in Afghanistan.

"The Taliban should seize the opportunity to pursue the only real path for ending this long conflict—joining the Afghan government in a reconciliation process that leads to lasting peace and stability," Obama said. "As an enduring partner of the Afghan people, the United States will continue to help strengthen Afghan security forces and support President Ghani and the National Unity Government in their efforts to forge the peace and progress that Afghans deserve."

See original story below.


It appears that a "precision air strike" launched by the United States against a target inside Pakistan, near the border with Afghanistan, has killed the leader of the Taliban. But the Pakistani government is not happy about it. 

Reuters reports that Afghani officials said Mullah Akhtar Mansoor was killed in the drone strike, which apparently targeted a vehicle. Monsour seized control of the Taliban in 2015, after the death of his predecessor Mullah Mohammed Omar. 

The news marks what is probably the biggest U.S. strike against a target inside Pakistan since Navy Seals entered the country under cover of darkness to take out Osama Bin-Laden in the town of Abbottabad back in 2011. And, as it was with the U.S. government's account of how the Bin-Laden raid went down, the U.S. once again didn't let the Pakistanis know they were coming. According to Reuters, "A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, acknowledged that Washington only notified Pakistan after the strike."

Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif spoke to reporters in London, saying, "This is a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty."

Secretary of State John Kerry defended the strike to USA Today:

"If people want to stand in the way of peace, continue to threaten and kill and blow people up, we have no recourse but to respond, and I think we responded appropriately," Kerry said. 

The drone strike was authorized directly by President Obama, U.S. officials reportedly confirmed. A video released by AFP (below) reportedly shows the aftermath of the strike.

 

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