Pentagon: US airstrike targets Taliban leader Mullah Mansour

[rooster59]

Pentagon: US airstrike targets Taliban leader Mullah Mansour

ALAN FRAM, Associated Press
LOLITA C. BALDOR, Associated Press


WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. targeted Taliban leader Mullah Mansour in an airstrike Saturday near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, the Defense Department said, and a U.S. official said Mansour was believed to have been killed.

Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said the U.S. was still studying the results of the attack, essentially leaving Mansour's fate uncertain.

But one U.S. official said Mansour and a second male combatant accompanying him in a vehicle were probably killed. President Barack Obama authorized the attack, which occurred on the Pakistani side of the border, and was briefed before and after it was carried out, a White House aide said. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity and were not authorized to discuss the operation publicly.

Mansour was chosen to head the Afghan Taliban last summer after the death several years earlier of the organization's founder, Mullah Mohammad Omar, became public. The Taliban is the most powerful insurgent group in the war-ravaged country, where an estimated 11,000 civilians were killed or wounded and 5,500 government troops and police officers died last year alone.

Cook said Mansour has been "actively involved with planning attacks" across Afghanistan. He called Mansour "an obstacle to peace and reconciliation" between the Taliban and the Afghan government who has barred top Taliban officials from joining peace talks, which have produced few signs of progress.

Members of Congress lauded the attack. One lawmaker said Mansour's death, if confirmed, would be a significant blow to the Taliban, though not enough to allow the U.S. to disengage from a conflict that has involved thousands of U.S. troops for nearly 15 years.

"We must remain vigilant and well-resourced in the field, and must continue to help create the conditions for a political solution," said Rep. Adam Schiff of California, top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee.

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain, R-Ariz., said he was glad Mansour "has met his just end" but urged stepped up coalition attacks on the Taliban.

"Our troops are in Afghanistan today for the same reason they deployed there in 2001 — to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a safe haven for global terrorists," McCain said.

The U.S. official said Saturday's attack was carried out by unmanned aircraft operated by American Special Operations Forces. The official said the operation was launched at about 6 a.m. EDT southwest of the town of Ahmad Wal and caused no other damage because it occurred in an isolated region.

Mansour, Mullah Omar's longtime deputy, had been the Taliban's de facto leader for years, according to the Afghan government.

His formal ascension was divisive in the Taliban, handing him the challenge of uniting a fractured — but still lethal — insurgency that has seen fighters desert for more extreme groups such as the Islamic State.

The Taliban seized power in 1996 and ruled Afghanistan according to a harsh interpretation of Islamic law until the group was toppled by a U.S.-led invasion following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington, D.C.

Almost 15 years later, there are about 13,000 troops in the country from a U.S.-NATO coalition, including around 9,800 Americans. While they are mostly focused on training and helping Afghan government forces battle the insurgency, about 3,000 of them are conducting counterterrorism operations against the Taliban and the extremist groups al-Qaida and Islamic State.

Mansour is considered close to Pakistani authorities who hosted peace talks last year between the Taliban and Afghan government. His succession widened the internal split between fighters who want to use battlefield gains to strengthen the Taliban's hand in negotiations with Kabul and those who want to continue the insurgency and ultimately overthrow the Afghan government.

Mullah Omar was the one-eyed, secretive head of the Taliban, whose group hosted Osama Bin Laden's al-Qaida in the years leading up to the Sept. 11 attacks and then waged an insurgency after the 2001 U.S.-led invasion that ended Taliban rule.

It is widely believed that Mullah Omar fled over the border to Pakistan, where he lived under Pakistani protection until his death.

According to the Taliban, as Mullah Omar's deputy, Mansour was effectively running the insurgency for the past three years and is said to have the loyalty of battlefield commanders who have intensified and spread their insurgency against Kabul in recent months.

-- (c) Associated Press 2016-05-22

[OMGImInPattaya]

I assume there's a second in command ready to step into his shoes.

[coma]

A drop in the proverbial ocean. A massive waste of time, money and resources. Dialogue and negotiation is the only way forward in Afghan for the Afghans. Then seal it off and leave them to it.

[Credo]

A drop in the proverbial ocean. A massive waste of time, money and resources. Dialogue and negotiation is the only way forward in Afghan for the Afghans. Then seal it off and leave them to it.

Are you suggesting building a wall?

[coma]

A drop in the proverbial ocean. A massive waste of time, money and resources. Dialogue and negotiation is the only way forward in Afghan for the Afghans. Then seal it off and leave them to it.

Are you suggesting building a wall?

Nope. Qin Shi Huangdi died a long time ago.

[boomerangutang]

I assume there's a second in command ready to step into his shoes.

Like the pop gun targets at a carnival. Shoot one down, another pops up. Shoot it down, another pops up.

It sure took a loooooong time to kill Mansour, though. On the other hand, he may have been dead for years already, because we in the west can't get any clear news from dune countries.

I'm not saying it's easy to kill a target, or even to ID one, in dune countries. They all dress in dark robes. Sometimes men dress as women. They all hide with civilians. It's not a pretty picture. If we took the money we spend on killing terrorists, and instead divvied it up as gifts to each one, they'd each get about $7,500. Still, they'd revert right back to being terrorists because, for them, it's the only gig in town.

I just heard an interview on BBC by a woman who voluntarily started a school for girls in one of the most ignorant districts in Afghanistan. She said one day some girls were out in the walled yard. Some Taliban walked by and heard the girls laughing. One lobbed a hand grenade over the wall. Kah-Pow ! ......little girl blood and guts all over. There is no other species of animal which are remotely as insane as humans.

[elgordo38]

A drop in the proverbial ocean. A massive waste of time, money and resources. Dialogue and negotiation is the only way forward in Afghan for the Afghans. Then seal it off and leave them to it.

Are you suggesting building a wall?

Sorry all the funds are tied up in the Mexican wall. I wonder how much "collatoral" damage was inflicted to bring this boogey man to "justice" Has the collatoral damage since 9/11 exceeded 3,000 yet??

[Catoni]

I assume there's a second in command ready to step into his shoes.

Whoever that will be, will always be looking over their shoulder... for the next Hellfire Missile coming for them. Every day and night will be living knowing the very next moment could be their last.. to end in a big BANG... and then "Lights out".

[quandow]

Well THAT showed the Taliban! I'm sure they're ready to just lay down their arms and go peacefully back to work.

The world is weary of the U.S. meddling in other countries' affairs for the sake of petrodollars.

[dunroaming]

Seems a successful strike, measured and responsible.

[Mosha]

Pakistan? I'm seeing a pattern here.

Sent from my SMART_4G_Speedy_5inch using Tapatalk

[Yann55]

Quote : "Our troops are in Afghanistan today for the same reason they deployed there in 2001 — to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a safe haven for global terrorists," McCain said.

I hope you are aware, Mr Mc Cain, that the most outstanding result of George W. Bush's inane invasion of Iraq has been to create exactly that : a safe haven for global terrorists. It's called ISIS.

I hope you are also aware, Mr Mc Cain, that spending millions of dollars in order to kill one leader is pretty much like thinking you will stop a tsunami by building a one mile wall in one particular area.

Is it naivety ? Is it stupidity ? Is it plain cynicism ? and who, at this stage, is still gullible enough to fall for this kind of political posturing ?

[ToS2014]

Keep knocking off the reported leaders and we/you will find another. The real leader is Pakistan....how many more will we/you hear about hiding within Pakistan?

[Mosha]

Pakistan is calling it a breach of sovereignty. They proved with Osama they are not to be trusted.

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[webfact]

Taliban leader Mansour killed in US drone strike
By Chris Cummins | With AGENCIES



"Peace is what we want and Mansour was a threat to that effort"

WASHINGTON: -- Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour has been killed in a US drone attack.

It is reported that Mansour was travelling in a car when his vehicle was blown up in the town of Ahmad Wal in Balochistan in south- west Pakistan.

US Secretary of State John Kerry, in Myanmar, confirmed the strike:“This action sends a clear message to the world that we will continue to stand with our Afghan partners as they look to build a more stable, united, secure and prosperous Afghanistan. The United States has long maintained that an Afghan-led, Afghan-owned reconciliation process is the shortest way to achieve peace and peace is what we want. Mansour was a threat to that effort and to bringing an end to the violence.”

Mansour took over the Taliban in last summer and was a fierce opponent of the peace process.
The Taliban threat under Mansour has increased and group claimed the city of Kunduz in 2015.
In the capital Kabul people responded to the news of the attack:
“It’s good news because the Taliban carry out suicide attacks and kill our innocent people and children. I believe that the more Taliban leaders that are killed, the more stability will grow in Afghanistan,” said one man.
The Taliban now faces an internal struggle to determine who will lead the organisation and whether consensus can be reached among the various warlords and clans.


-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2016-05-23

[kamahele]

Well THAT showed the Taliban! I'm sure they're ready to just lay down their arms and go peacefully back to work.

The world is weary of the U.S. meddling in other countries' affairs for the sake of petrodollars.

I'm not quite sure there are any petrodollars for the US in Afghanistan and Pakistan....

[Skeptic7]

Nope, nothing at all stereotypical about the likes of this fine looking fellow...

[renaissanc]

Mansour will be happy with this. According to their beliefs, he'll be rewarded with 75 virgins and eternal praise and rewards from the Prophet for being responsible for killing probably hundreds of men, women and children. ... I hope he enjoys the eternal darkness.

[wabothai]

Is the US so ignorant as to believe they can bring democracy there with bombs?

Kick ass boys, kick ass.

[Norvid]

This is really to US: Tell Mohammedans in EU, that we love them and as a reward send them free of charge back where they came from and convert converted churches to mosques back to Christian ownership. Fix Palestinians with their Palestine and then start fixing the rest all over. Next generations will appreciate that very much. Do it with love for humans with brain.

[jesimps]

There are so many lefties on here mourning the death of Mansour I'll be surprised if they don't organise a collection for him.

Watch out for the flowers and teddy bears outside the mosques.

I personally hope he burns in hell and look forward to his replacement being hit on his raggy head with a Hellfire too.

Edited May 23, 2016 by jesimps

[NeilSA1]

Mansour will be happy with this. According to their beliefs, he'll be rewarded with 75 virgins and eternal praise and rewards from the Prophet for being responsible for killing probably hundreds of men, women and children. ... I hope he enjoys the eternal darkness.

Who is to say that these virgins are pretty?

If they are virgins they may well be ugly, fat old frumps.

[Skeptic7]

Mansour will be happy with this. According to their beliefs, he'll be rewarded with 75 virgins and eternal praise and rewards from the Prophet for being responsible for killing probably hundreds of men, women and children. ... I hope he enjoys the eternal darkness.

It's actually 72, but who's counting and who cares? Religion is nothing but silly superstition...STUPID-STITION.

There are so many lefties on here mourning the death of Mansour I'll be surprised if they don't organise a collection for him.

Watch out for the flowers and teddy bears outside the mosques.

I personally hope he burns in hell and look forward to his replacement being hit on his raggy head with a Hellfire too.

Your superstition says he's gonna burn eternally in Hell while his says he's gonna have an eternal orgy with a shitload of virgins. NEWSFLASH! There is no Hell, nor Heaven, nor Virgins awating. No Divine Justice. He's just dead due to human ingenuity and technology. Afterlifes...good or bad...only exist in the imagination. Edited May 23, 2016 by Skeptic7