Kabul: The Taliban on Sunday discovered the very last resting area of the motion’s founder, Mullah Omar, whose loss of life and burial they saved mystery for years.
Rumours surrounding Omar’s fitness and whereabouts abounded after the Taliban have been kicked out of energy in 2001 through a US-led invasion, and that they handiest admitted in April 2015 that he had died years in advance.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid instructed AFP Sunday that senior leaders of the motion attended a rite at his gravesite in advance withinside the day close to Omarzo, in Suri district of Zabul province.
The Taliban lower back to energy in August ultimate 12 months, routing authorities forces because the US-led army that propped up the regime ended a 20-12 months occupation.
“Since quite a few enemies have been round and the usa became occupied, to keep away from harm to the tomb it became saved mystery,” Mujahid stated.
“Only the near own circle of relatives participants have been aware about the area,” he added.
Pictures launched through officers confirmed Taliban leaders accumulated round a easy white brick tomb, blanketed with what seems to be gravel and enclosed in a inexperienced steel cage.
“Now the selection has been made… there aren’t anyt any troubles for the humans to go to the tomb,” Mujahid stated.
Omar, who became elderly round fifty five whilst he died, based the Taliban in 1993 as an antidote to the internecine civil battle that erupted following the decade-lengthy Soviet occupation.
Under his management the Taliban added an incredibly austere model of Islamic rule, barring ladies from public existence and introducing harsh public punishments — which includes executions and floggings.
– Massoud tomb pronounced vandalised –
Omar’s rite comes an afternoon after provincial Taliban officers denied reviews that the Panjshir Valley tomb of resistance hero Ahmad Shah Massoud were vandalised, an act Mujahid stated could be “punished” if true.
Massoud has a combined legacy withinside the usa, wherein he’s hailed through normal Afghans for main the resistance in opposition to the Soviet occupation, however loathed through the Taliban he additionally fought till his 2001 assassination through Al-Qaeda.
His tomb is in an enforcing granite and marble mausoleum overlooking the picturesque Panjshir Valley, and protected through Taliban combatants on account that their takeover of the usa in August ultimate 12 months.
Local citizens stated a newly arrived contingent of combatants smashed the tombstone, and video of the desecrated grave — which couldn’t be verified — became posted through neighborhood media and circulating extensively on social channels.
“It occurred whilst the brand new forces entered Panjshir. The new forces from Helmand and Kandahar destroyed the tombstone of the country wide hero,” one resident instructed AFP.
Nasrullah Malakzada, head of facts and subculture of Panjshir, province, denied the tomb were broken and issued a video purporting to expose it intact.
The clip, however, pointedly did now no longer show the whole structure — specifically the component visible broken withinside the authentic video.
Malakzada refused requests through reporters to go to or image the tomb for themselves.
Mujahid instructed journalists that no person had the proper to insult the dead.
“Previously we had punished individuals who dedicated such acts,” he stated, adding “this may be investigated as nicely and important movement may be taken”.