KABUL: A senior Taliban source said Wednesday that Haibatullah Akhundzada's hard-line views, including his opposition to peace talks with the Afghan government and the U.S., were popular among the militants.
A senior Taliban source who spoke to NBC News on condition of anonymity said : "It seems we have Mullah Mohammad Omar back on the seat as he is similar to him in his policies," the source said, referring to former Taliban leader whose 2013 death was announced last year. "He is the true follower of Islam and never compromises on principles."
For its part, the Afghan government has said Mansour was an obstacle to any sort of peace process, which ground to a halt when he refused to participate in talks earlier this year.