Tehran, May 24: “contradictory” reports on the alleged killing of Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar, saying the US is exploiting the new Middle East situation.
“Measures taken in connection to members of al-Qaeda and Taliban pursue specific objectives of the US and Western countries in particular,” Mehmanparast told reporters at his weekly press conference on Tuesday.
“The issue shows that the US is taking advantage of the situation in the (Middle East) region. Such reports are mainly released in line with new policies that are adopted by the US government,” he added.
The spokesperson emphasized that such policies are the continuation of the wrong-headed approach pursued by the US and its Western allies.
On Monday, Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid denied as “absolutely wrong” a report by a local Afghan TV network that their leader Mullah Omar had been killed in Pakistan.
“It’s only propaganda and we completely deny these rumors. He is inside Afghanistan and he is busy directing military operations with his commanders,” Mujahid said.
On Monday, Afghan Tolo news channel quoted an anonymous Afghan intelligence official as saying that “Mullah Omar was killed on way from Quetta to North Waziristan.”
Mullah Omar, the founder of the Taliban, was Afghanistan’s de facto head of state from 1996 to 2001.
The Taliban leader has survived a vast US military manhunt since the US-led invasion of Afghanistan began in 2001.
——–Agencies