KABUL- The Afghan Taliban today published a descriptive biography of their supreme leader Mullah Omar, in a surprise move apparently aimed at countering the creeping influence of the Islamic State group within insurgent ranks.
The Taliban have reportedly seen defections to the Islamic State in recent months, with some insurgents expressing their disaffection with the one-eyed warrior-cleric who has not been seen since the 2001 US-led invasion of Afghanistan.
The biography, posted on the Taliban's main website to commemorate Omar's 19th year as supreme leader, described him as being actively involved in “jihadi activities”, dispelling speculation that he had died.
“He keenly follows and inspects the activities against the brutal infidel foreign invaders,” it said. The withdrawn, remote figure has not made a public appearance since the 2001 invasion, and has hardly ever been photographed.
The US State Department placed a $10 million bounty on his head. The Taliban's surprise move to release his detailed biography, even describing his personal and family life, took security analysts by surprise.
“The Taliban have posted Omar's biography to counter Daesh influence in their ranks,” said Ahmad Sayedi, an expert on the Taliban.
“This announcement is also meant to show that Omar is alive and well and still in control as the supreme leader of the Taliban.”
The whereabouts of Omar remain a mystery but he is believed to be leading the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan.