Taliban rift could swell ranks of Islamic State fighters

An emerging power struggle within the Afghan Taliban leadership could drive disgruntled fighters to join the so-called Islamic State (IS) group, which is already believed to have established a foothold in Afghanistan

TALIBAN LEADERSHIP

Mullah Akhtar Mansoor

(right)

named leader in July after confirmed

death of Taliban founder Mullah Omar.

Mansoor seen as moderate who

favours peace talks with government.

Reputation boosted after his fighters

briefly occupied northern city of

Kunduz in September

AFGHAN GOVERNMENT

Anti-Mansoor faction:

Many

Taliban commanders, including

prominent dissident Mullah Abdul

Qayyum Zakir, oppose peace

process and are meeting to choose

rival leader to Mansoor. Faction

supported by Tayyab Agha, former

head of Taliban political office in Qatar

President Ashraf Ghani (above right)

pushing for negotiated settlement to

14-year insurgency, which has

escalated since withdrawal of most

NATO troops in 2014. Taliban rift could

discourage Mansoor from continuing

with Pakistan-based peace talks

Militant attack and support zones

April-October 6, 2015

Kunduz

UZBEK.

TAJIKISTAN

Attack

zones

Support

zones

TURKMENISTAN

200km

Mazar-i-

Sharif

125 miles

Kabul

Nangarhar

province

District centres

under Islamic

State control

AFGHANISTAN

Herat

Ghazni

PAKISTAN

Lashkar

Gah

Kandahar

IRAN

Helmand province

Reported power base

of Mullah Zakir

Source: Institute for the Study of War, wire agencies

Pictures: AP