<p>Amid a widening rift over succession following Mullah Omar's death, senior Taliban leaders opposed to Mullah Akhtar Mansour's nomination as the group's supremo have launched a parallel council, according to a media report.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The senior Taliban members, opposed to Mullah Mansour's ascendancy, yesterday launched their parallel 'Shura' or council and declared themselves as the 'Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan', the Express Tribune reported.<br /><br />"A few people announced Mullah Akhtar Mansour as the new leader at a meeting where neither majority of the Shura members nor Ulema were invited," the council said in a statement.<br /><br />"They imposed Mullah Mansour's leadership on the Islamic Emirate for vested interests," it said.<br /><br />The dissidents were quoted as saying that they would convene a meeting of the council members, Islamic scholars and national figures to elect a new chief.<br /><br />Mutasim Agha Jan, the former finance minister and a close confidant of Mullah Omar, has also refused to submit to the leadership of Mullah Mansour, an official close to Mutasim told the daily.<br /><br />Similarly, Mansoor Dadullah, who leads the Dadullah Front, has also refused to endorse Mullah Mansour's election.<br /><br />Earlier, Mullah Omar's family has also refused to pledge allegiance to Mullah Mansour.<br />Mullah Omar's younger brother Mullah Abdullah Mannan, in an audio message recorded in the Pashto language, has demanded that a council meeting of pro-Taliban clerics and militant commanders be called to deliberate and resolve the challenge facing the group.<br />"Our family... has not declared allegiance to anyone amid these differences," Manan said in the audio message.<br /><br />"We want the ulema (religious scholars) to resolve the differences rather than declaring allegiance to any side," he said.<br /><br />Mullah Omar's son Yakoub has also challenged Mullah Mansour's appointment as the Taliban supremo.<br /><br />Meanwhile, a clash broke out between the Taliban militants for the first time since the confirmation of Mullah Omar's death.<br /><br />The incident reportedly took place in western Herat province of Afghanistan today following a verbal clash between the militants regarding the appointment of the group's new supreme leader, Afghanistan's Khaama Press reported.<br /><br />At least nine Taliban insurgents including a senior commander were killed during the infighting, the report said.<br /><br />The militants were divided in two groups over allegiance to Mullah Mansour which led to the gun battle, it said. <br /></p>
<p>Amid a widening rift over succession following Mullah Omar's death, senior Taliban leaders opposed to Mullah Akhtar Mansour's nomination as the group's supremo have launched a parallel council, according to a media report.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The senior Taliban members, opposed to Mullah Mansour's ascendancy, yesterday launched their parallel 'Shura' or council and declared themselves as the 'Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan', the Express Tribune reported.<br /><br />"A few people announced Mullah Akhtar Mansour as the new leader at a meeting where neither majority of the Shura members nor Ulema were invited," the council said in a statement.<br /><br />"They imposed Mullah Mansour's leadership on the Islamic Emirate for vested interests," it said.<br /><br />The dissidents were quoted as saying that they would convene a meeting of the council members, Islamic scholars and national figures to elect a new chief.<br /><br />Mutasim Agha Jan, the former finance minister and a close confidant of Mullah Omar, has also refused to submit to the leadership of Mullah Mansour, an official close to Mutasim told the daily.<br /><br />Similarly, Mansoor Dadullah, who leads the Dadullah Front, has also refused to endorse Mullah Mansour's election.<br /><br />Earlier, Mullah Omar's family has also refused to pledge allegiance to Mullah Mansour.<br />Mullah Omar's younger brother Mullah Abdullah Mannan, in an audio message recorded in the Pashto language, has demanded that a council meeting of pro-Taliban clerics and militant commanders be called to deliberate and resolve the challenge facing the group.<br />"Our family... has not declared allegiance to anyone amid these differences," Manan said in the audio message.<br /><br />"We want the ulema (religious scholars) to resolve the differences rather than declaring allegiance to any side," he said.<br /><br />Mullah Omar's son Yakoub has also challenged Mullah Mansour's appointment as the Taliban supremo.<br /><br />Meanwhile, a clash broke out between the Taliban militants for the first time since the confirmation of Mullah Omar's death.<br /><br />The incident reportedly took place in western Herat province of Afghanistan today following a verbal clash between the militants regarding the appointment of the group's new supreme leader, Afghanistan's Khaama Press reported.<br /><br />At least nine Taliban insurgents including a senior commander were killed during the infighting, the report said.<br /><br />The militants were divided in two groups over allegiance to Mullah Mansour which led to the gun battle, it said. <br /></p>