July 17, 2026 02:12 pm (IST)
Follow us:
US drone attack kills Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansur, confirms White House
Brussels, May 23 (IBNS) Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansur was killed in an air-strike on Saturday in Pakistan confirmed the US and the Afghanistan governments on Monday, according to media reports.
Tweeted Abdullah Abdullah, Afghanistan's chief executive on May 22, "#Taliban leader #AkhtarMansoor was killed in a drone strike in Quetta, #Pakistan at 04:30 pm yesterday. His car was attacked in Dahl Bandin."
The drone strike in a remote area on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border targeted Mansur and another male combatant travelling with him in a vehicle was likely killed too, the CNN reported quoting White House officials.
According to media reports, Mullah Akhtar Mansur assumed command of the Taliban forces following the death of Mullah Mohammed Omar in 2013 in Pakistan.
"We have removed the leader of an organization that has continued to plot against and unleash attacks on American and Coalition forces, to wage war against the Afghan people, and align itself with extremist groups," President Obama said in a statement.
CNN quoted United Nations saying that he was an active recruiter in the Taliban's fight against the Afghan government.
However, Pakistan has said that the drone operation was in violation of the country's sovereignty, media reported.
NATO General Secretary said in a statement that under Mullah Mansur's leadership, the Taliban continued to conduct brutal attacks across Afghanistan, leading to the death and suffering of countless Afghan civilians and security forces, and posing a major daily threat to the forces of the US and other NATO Allies and partners.
Support Our Journalism
We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism
IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.
Support objective journalism for a small contribution.
Latest Headlines
UK's only Hindu temple in Peterborough fights for survival after council sells site to Islamic group
Wed, Jul 15 2026
Riots break out across France following World Cup semi-final Loss to Spain; hundreds arrested
Wed, Jul 15 2026
Centuries-old bonfire tradition sparks outrage after replica mosque set ablaze in Northern Ireland
Sat, Jul 11 2026