President Obama has announced in a statement that the death of Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour, which was tentatively reported over the weekend, has been confirmed. Mansour is said to have been killed in a drone strike on a car in which he was traveling near the town of Ahmad Wal, Pakistan. Here’s where that is:
Screenshot/Google Maps
The attack is believed to be the U.S.’s first drone strike in Baluchistan, which is one of Pakistan’s four provinces.
From Obama’s statement:
“Mansour rejected efforts by the Afghan government to seriously engage in peace talks and end the violence that has taken the lives of countless innocent Afghan men, women and children,” Mr. Obama continued in the statement. “The Taliban should seize the opportunity to pursue the only real path for ending this long conflict — joining the Afghan government in a reconciliation process that leads to lasting peace and stability.”
Mansour’s ascendance to Taliban leadership was reported in 2015; he took over from Mullah Mohammed Omar, who founded the group and is believed to have died of an illness in 2013.
