Mullah Omar nominates his successor
Taliban spiritual leader Mullah Mohammed Omar has nominated an Afghan warrior to succeed him as leader.
Mullah Akhtar Usmani was named as the successor in the event of Mullah Omar's death.
Usmani is the military commander of five southern Afghan provinces. He is a former colleague of Mullah Omar at a religious school in Kandahar.
"Mullah Omar is still in Kandahar and leading Taliban forces. But his movement is restricted due to security reasons. In his absence, Mullah Akhtar Usmani is leading the Taliban forces." a Taliban official told Pakistan's Online news agency.
"Usmani has not been given any official designation but he will only lead the Taliban in the absence of Mullah Omar," the Taliban official said.
He said Usmani's appointment may have been guided by the possibility Mullah Omar would have to go underground or leave Kandahar for an unknown destination for some time.
In a message to his forces last week the Taliban chief had declared that forces would never capture him alive. "I will prefer to die than surrender" he said.
Conflicting reports are coming out Afghanistan from the Taliban's splintered leadership following the Northern Alliances' advances.
Other sources say Omar and bin Laden has fled the country to a remote corner of Pakistan. Omar has also been placed in northern Afghanistan directing Taliban forces fighting the Alliance.
