Taliban Leader Mullah Mansour Allegedly Killed By U.S. Drone Attack
Taliban top dog Mullah Mansour has allegedly been killed today by a U.S. drone attack in Pakistan near the border of Afghanistan.
Austin Wright of Politico was one of the first to break the story.
“The strike was carried out by several drones operated by U.S. special operations forces and targeted Mansour while he was in a vehicle with another man who was also likely killed.”
In the wake of former Taliban leader Mullah Omar’s death in 2013, John McCain, among other U.S. officials, believed Mansour had taken over the reins in the attempt to reign over Afghanistan.
According to Wright’s story, Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook confirmed that Mansour was an import figure for the Taliban.
“[He was] actively involved with planning attacks against facilities in Kabul and across Afghanistan, presenting a threat to Afghan civilians and security forces, our personnel, and coalition partners.”
The BBC’s Asia branch is reporting that the alleged killing of Mansour, was “authorized by President Barack Obama… both Pakistan and Afghanistan were informed about the strike.”
Taliban leader Mullah Mansur targeted by US. Could change the dynamic. https://t.co/XVkUFt1xC7 #Afghanistan
— Seema Sirohi (@seemasirohi) May 21, 2016
Mansour was a former civil aviation minister during the Taliban’s rule in Afghanistan. He was allegedly involved in drug trafficking and later rose through the ranks of the Taliban and became the unofficial leader. His title was in question due to Taliban factions who did not acknowledge him as such. Regardless of his official status in the terrorist organization, the U.S. has allegedly succeeded in their mission without putting the lives of soldiers in danger in the hopes of keeping innocent Afghanis safe, as well as protecting others from Mansour’s orders.
CNN’s Jamie Crawford spoke with U.S. officials who told him that it will “take days to get physical confirmation” that indeed the man the U.S. targeted at 6 a.m. today was the Taliban’s Mullah Mansour.
[Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images]
