Recently instated Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour has reportedly died after suffering injuries in a shoot-out with other members of the group in Pakistan, Afghanistan officials have said.
Sultan Faizy, spokesman for Afghan first Vice President General Abdul Rashid Dostum, confirmed the Taliban leader's death on social media, Xinhua reported on Friday.
Mullah Mansour, who took charge of the Afghan Taliban after Mullah Omar had been confirmed dead, was said to have been critically injured on Wednesday in a gunfight with senior Taliban members.
However, the Taliban had denied reports of his injury.
"This is a rumour which is completely baseless. Akthar Mohammad Mansour is totally fine and nothing has happened to him," a spokesperson had told Reuters.
Mullah Mansour had served as the 'aviation minister' during the Taliban rule in Afghanistan.
In-fighting had broken out within Taliban ranks following the change of leadership, with members of Mullah Omar's family opposing the new leadership.
Mullah Omar's son Mullah Yaqub and brother Mullah Abdul Manan were expected to have taken over the Taliban.
However, recent reports had claimed that the Mullah Omar family had pledged allegiance to Mullah Akhtar Mansour.
