Mansour’s Brief Reign as Taliban Chief Marked by Turmoil

Mullah Mohammed Akhtar Mansour’s brief rule, which ended with his death in a drone strike, was marked by mistrust and strife.

An Afghan man reads a local newspaper with photos of the leader of the Afghan Taliban, Mullah Mansour, in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Dec. 6, 2015. The Pentagon has announced that the U.S. has conducted an airstrike targeting Taliban leader Mullah Mansour. A U.S. official who wasn't authorized to publicly discuss the operation said Mansour and a second male combatant accompanying him in a vehicle were likely killed. AP Photo/Rahmat Gul

ISLAMABAD—Mullah Mohammed Akhtar Mansour’s brief rule, which ended with his death in a drone strike, was marked by mistrust and strife.

Since his takeover of the movement following the announcement last year of founder Mullah Mohammed Omar’s death, Mansour had battled other Taliban commanders. He eventually enlisted the powerful semi-independent faction known as the Haqqani network to cajole important commanders back into the fold and promised positions on the leadership council to entice Mullah Omar’s family to his side.

A file image of Taliban leader Mullah Mansour. AP Photo/Rahmat Gul