The Taliban have also now officially confirmed the NEWS on Thursday that Mullah Omar died of an illness some time ago and that they have elected Mullah Mohammad Akhtar Mansoor as his successor. The Taliban are very happy with their new leader and have termed him as the most “trusted” acquaintance of Mullah Omar.

The Afghanistan’s president Ashraf Ghani’s office issued a press release that confirmed earlier claims of BBC that Mullah Omar died two years ago in 2013 in Pakistan.

Mullah Omar had been the supreme commander and spiritual leader of the Talibans since 1996.

Now the new elected leader Mansoor has been given the same respect as Mullah Omar. He has been given the title of “The Leader of the faithful.”

Mansoor is among Taliban leaders who have always been in favor of peace talks.

The second round of Afghan peace talks, which were due this Friday, were postponed at the request of the Taliban leadership, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said Thursday.

It was not immediately known when the talks would be held again.