Afghan Taliban dismiss top commander for disobedience
KABUL (Reuters) - Afghanistan's Taliban have dismissed a senior regional commander for insubordination, spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said on Sunday.
The spokesman said Mullah Omar, the group's supreme leader, had dismissed Mansoor Dadullah as a commander and expelled him from the hardline Islamic movement.
The spokesman said the action had been taken for insubordination and disobeying orders.
Mansoor was the brother of Mullah Dadullah, the most senior Taliban commander killed since the group was ousted as Afghanistan's rulers in 2001 in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks on the United States.
Mullah Dadullah was killed in May last year in Helmand Province, Afghanistan's drugs heartland and a stronghold of the Taliban.
The Taliban have stepped up their insurgency this year with a steep rise in attacks on foreign forces, suicide bombings and kidnappings.
No further details of Mansoor's expulsion or reaction from foreign forces were immediately available.
(Writing by David Fox; Editing by Jerry Norton)
© Thomson Reuters 2009 All rights reserved
Commentary
Do these people have reason to smile?
Will the dreary economic New Normal create a political opening for Lou Dobbs, Michael Bloomberg or Sarah Palin -- or someone else with high visibility, deep pockets or both? Blog
Bomb caused Russian train crash