Eye on the News [email protected] Truthful, Factual and Unbiased Vol:X Issue No:11 Price: Afs.15 www.afghanistantimes.af www.facebook.com/ afghanistantimeswww.twitter.com/ afghanistantimes SATURDAY . AUGUST 01 . 2015 -Asad 10, 1394 HS Rafale deal: Pricing issues, India's insis- Taliban confirms Page 4 tence on 50pc local spending lead to Mullah Omar s death, missing of July target approves Mullah Mansoor as new chief IAEA chief AT Monitoring Desk they have asked the US Secretary 'positively' of State, John Kerry, on different mulling US he Taliban has officially con occasions to inquire Pakistani mil- Page 5 Senate invite firmed death of their su itary establishment that why it was Tpreme leader Mullah Mo- protecting Mullah Omar. Regard- PESHAWAR: Chief of the to speak on hammad Omar and approved Mul- ing the Taliban s shura (council) Haqqani militant network and fa- Iran lah Akhtar Mohammad Mansoor meeting, Afghan officials say that ther of Sirajuddin Haqqani, Jalu- as new chief of the insurgent move- the meeting took place in Islama- luddin Haqqani, died almost a year ment. In a media statement, the in- bad as Mullah Mansoor was liv- ago of natural causes and was bur- surgent group said that Mullah ing in suburbs of Quetta city but ied in Afghan province of Khost, Gold set for Omar died of sickness in Afghani- gone missing after the first round according to reliable sources stan. Though, the Taliban did not of peace talks. The officials who among the Afghan Taliban. While longest say when he died but claimed, his wished anonymity also hinted news of Jalaluddin Haqqani's weekly health condition deteriorated in the about differences among the Tali- death had been making rounds for Page 9 past two weeks and did not go ban leaders and said the group s almost a month now, multiple losing anywhere for a single day. The Qatar office is against Mansoor s credible sources in Taliban con- streak since group said that its council ap- approval as the new supreme com- firmed today that he had died of proved Mullah Akhtar Mansoor mander. The Taliban foot-soldiers illness almost a year ago. The mil- 1999 as new chief of the movement. The and most of leaders are against itant group has not officially giv- militant group also appointed Mullah Mansoor for his bad repu- en out a statement over Haqqani's Haibatullah Akhundzada and Sira- tation and being very close to ISI. demise yet. Sources, however, say Nepal juddin Haqqani as Mansoor s dep- Those who are against the new Sirajudin Haqqani, Jalaluddin's uties in the council s meeting. The Taliban s chief [Mansoor] say that son, has been running the militant pushes to Taliban s did not present facts to Pakistan is using them for own in- network for over a year now, ever Jalaluddin Haqqani. DawnNews screengrab finalise prove their claim that Mullah terests. Those who supported since his father's illness. The Page 8 Omar died in Afghanistan or the Mansoor were afraid for their Haqqani network was founded by set up a base in North Waziristan ates independently but remains constitu- council meeting was not held in lives, a high-ranking Afghan offi- Jalaluddin Haqqani an Afghan following the fall of the Taliban loyal to Mullah Omar. Unidenti- Pakistan. It is said that he died in a cial said on the condition not to be guerrilla leader bankrolled by the regime in 2001, under which he fied gunmen attacked and killed tion despite safe house two years ago in Kara- named. Replying to a query he said United States to fight Soviet was the minister for border af- Nasiruddin Haqqani, the group's concerns chi due to heart problem. Afghan the Afghan government is familiar troops in Afghanistan in the fairs. chief fundraiser and another son intelligence officials repeatedly with the developments. He said 1980s. In the 1980s, Jalaluddin He used his North Waziristan of its founder, on the edge of Is- urged the United States to take that Kabul wants peace. There- was close to the CIA and Paki- base to direct the Haqqani net- lamabad in 2013. Due to his ail- action against Mullah Omar who fore, we do not want to involve stani intelligence. He allied him- work s operations. ment, the militant commander Sayyaf, was protected by Pakistan s ISI in ourselves in any controversy, but self to the Taliban after they took The group is accused of be- had handed over operational com- the port city, Karachi. Earlier, the yes, we shall keep close eyes on power in Kabul in 1996, serving ing behind some of the deadliest mand of the Haqqani network to Gen. Campbell former Afghan officials said that the recent political developments, as a cabinet minister under the mi- attacks in Afghanistan. He report- his son, Sirajuddin. Jalaluddin was discuss he said.The Taliban on Friday put litia's supreme leader, Mullah Mo- edly had training bases in eastern also on the UN Sanctions list since Page 12 weight behind the new leader hammad Omar. When American Afghanistan and was close to Al- January 31, 2001. The provisions security Modi to through a statement. The state- troops arrived after the 9/11 at- Qaeda. His fighters are known to of the UNSC resolutions 1267 situation ment termed Mansoor as trust- tacks, Haqqani sought refuge in be active across east and south- (1999), and 1333 (2000) applied attend Afghan ed aide of Mullah Omar. The Pakistan's tribal district of North east Afghanistan and in the capi- to him, which, among other things, group claimed that its followers Waziristan and became one of the tal Kabul. The network is militar- bar the international travel of list- vowed support to the new su- first anti-US commanders based ily the most capable of the Af- ed individuals and prevent any as- parliament ghan Taliban factions and oper- sistance to them. (DAWNnews) Sonakshi building preme leader. in the border areas. Jalaluddin had revisits her HPC blames past for inauguration Page 10 Akira, Pakistan for check out using Mullah how? Omar s death as excuse to delay Afghanistan peace talks peace AT Monitoring Desk process: Page 6 Indian Prime Minister KABUL: The High Peace Council Comforting Narendra Modi (HPC) confirmed that the second the warrior round of peace talks between the AT Monitoring Desk government and Taliban has been delayed. Questioning Pakistan s KABUL: Indian Prime Minister sincerity, it said that Mullah Narendra Modi is expected to at- Omar s death is not the reason. tend unveiling ceremony of Af- Deputy Chairman of the HPC, ghanistan s new parliament build- Maulvi Ataullah Ludin, said: Demolition of Afghan ing that India is constructing, said Though the Taliban s leader, Indian media outlets. Construction Mullah Omar, died more than two years ago, the neighboring coun- Editorial P6 slum houses in Islamabad of the new parliament building at try is using his death as an excuse the total cost of $200 million is to hurdle peace talks. Ludin con- considered as India s symbolic sup- firmed that the second round of port for Afghanistan, as the latter peace talks has been delayed till is struggling to transition into a unknown time, after that Mullah stable democracy. The Ministry of Omar was confirmed dead. The Urban Development Affairs and Taliban in a statement the other Maradona Indian Embassy in Afghanistan China announces support to Afghan peace process day officially confirmed Mullah wants to said earlier this month that con- Omar s death. Later in the day, the struction of the building will be AT Monitoring Desk Beijing is aware of the reasons for was held. After the Taliban leader Pakistani foreign office said a Page 11 fight FIFA completed within six months. delay in the talks and it wants all Mullah Mohammad Omar s death planned second round of meetings mafia Construction of the building is KABUL: Amidst delay in the sec- parties to focus on national unity and was confirmed, the rebel group re- set for Friday would be delayed at part of India s $2 billion aid pack- ond round of peace talks follow- enduring peace in Afghanistan. The portedly appointed Mullah Akhtar the request of the Taliban leader- age for Afghanistan. Construction ing the death of Taliban s leader ministry also called on Afghanistan Mansoor as his successor. Reports ship. However, Pakistan in the of the building was started in 2009 Mullah Mohammad Omar, China to continue to push forward the suggest that at a meeting on statement hoped that the Taliban by India s Central Public Works on Friday announced support to peace and reconciliation process. The Wednesday night, the Taliban s leadership will stay engaged in the Afghani- Department and has missed its Afghan peace process and its in- talks were scheduled to take place in Quetta Shura elected Sirajuddin process of peace talks. Mullah deadline by three years. Once com- volved parties, including Afghani- Urumqi Xinxiang s provincial cap- Haqqani, chief of the banned Omar s death revelation in this crit- stan s pleted, the building will be able to stan and Pakistan. Chinese Exter- ital but reportedly shifted to Mur- Haqqani Network, as the insurgent ical juncture is not an accident, but Olympic withstand terror attacks and earth- nal Affairs Ministry said that ree in Pakistan, where the first round group s deputy leader. was planned to undermine peace Page 2 quakes up to 8 on the Richter scale. talks, Ludin said. He believes that bocce The new building contains Pakistan was not sincere in its co- separate plenary halls, committee operation in peace talks between dreams meeting rooms, and administrative Traffic mishap leaves 11 dead in Nimroz the Afghan government and the offices for both Wolesi Jirga and Taliban.