US airstrikes targets Taliban Mullah leader Mansur

WASHINGTON (PAN): The US has carried out an airstrike against Mullah Mansur, who became the Taliban leader after the death of Mullah Omar, in the remote Af-Pak areas, the Pentagon said Saturday, adding that it is still accessing the results.

“Today, the Department of Defense conducted an airstrike that targeted Taliban leader Mullah Mansur in a remote area of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region,” the Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said.

“Mansur has been the leader of the Taliban and actively involved with plaing attacks against facilities in Kabul and across Afghanistan, presenting a threat to Afghan civilians and security forces, our persoel, and Coalition partners,” he said.

“Mansur has been an obstacle to peace and reconciliation between the Govement of Afghanistan and the Taliban, prohibiting Taliban leaders from participating in peace talks with the Afghan govement that could lead to an end to the conflict,” Cook said.

Since the death of Mullah Omar and Mansur's assumption of leadership, the Taliban have conducted many attacks that have resulted in the death of tens of thousands of Afghan civilians and Afghan security forces as well as numerous U.S. and Coalition persoel, he said.

“We are still assessing the results of the strike and will provide more information as it becomes available,” Cook said.