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WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House says U.S. intelligence agencies have determined that former Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar is dead, and says his demise "represents a chance for yet more progress on the path to a stable, secure Afghanistan."
Taliban officials on Thursday confirmed that Mullah Omar died more than two years ago and appointed his successor, Mullah Akhtar Mansoor. But Mullah Omar's son has rejected the choice, suggesting division within the Afghan Taliban.
Afghanistan's government hopes a fractured Taliban movement will be easier to divide and conquer. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has made peace talks with the Taliban a priority.
The White House on Friday urged the Taliban "to heed President Ghani's call for reconciliation and make genuine peace with the Afghan government."
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