A U.S. "unarmed aircraft" killed a top Taliban commander in southern Afghanistan on Saturday night, the U.S.-led international military coalition in Afghanistan said Sunday. The Taliban and Afghan government confirmed the death of the commander, Abdul Manan, the Taliban's shadow governor in Helmand province. His death is the biggest loss for the Taliban since a U.S. drone strike killed Taliban leader Akhtar Mansour in Pakistan in 2016, The Wall Street Journal says. Manan's death, followed Sunday by airstrikes on a Taliban training camp in Helmand that killed at least 29 people, coincided with the start of tentative peace talks with the Taliban launched in July.
Some experts on the Taliban and Afghanistan said the killing of Manan could actually further peace talks. As shadow governor of Helmand province and its lucrative drug trade, Manan's access to large amounts of cash gave him and his hardline views an independent power base within the Taliban, and a peace deal would have hurt the him financially. But the death of Mansour in 2016 stalled peace talks, and other experts told the Journal that the deaths of previous Taliban leaders have had little long-term effect on their insurgency or talks to end the 17-year-long war.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
-
'Israeli officers chafe over lack of postwar plan'Today's Newspapers A roundup of the headlines from the US front pages
-
Will Russian advance in Kharkiv prove decisive in Ukraine war?Today's Big Question Recent gains in northeast could be 'a momentary setback' or a 'turning point', as Kyiv counts the cost of US delay
-
Long Island: a 'magnificent sequel' to BrooklynThe Week Recommends Colm Tóibín follow-up shows his fascinations with 'secrets and the people who hold them in'
-
Israel proposes two-month pause in Gaza war in exchange for all Hamas hostagesSpeed Read Deal doesn't include an agreement to end war, but might be 'the only path that could lead to a ceasefire', said US officials
-
Nato official warns of all-out war with Russia in next 20 yearsSpeed Read Civilians must prepare for life-changing conflict and mass mobilisation, says military chief
-
Rishi Sunak visits Kyiv to announce £2.5 billion in military support for UkraineSpeed Read Surprise trip comes amid increased Russian bombardment and escalation of Middle East crisis
-
British warship repels 'largest Houthi attack to date' in the Red SeaSpeed read Western allies warn of military response to Iranian-backed Yemeni rebels if attacks on ships continue
-
Israel preparing to flood Hamas tunnels with seawaterSpeed Read IDF pumps could drive out terrorists but critics warn of danger to hostages and Gaza water supply
-
Houthi rebels claim Red Sea ship attacksspeed read Iran-backed Yemeni group vows to escalate aggression towards Israel-linked vessels in revenge for Gaza war
-
Israel plans next phase of Gaza war as first hostages releasedSpeed read After four-day ceasefire 'we will not stop' until destruction of Hamas, says Israel
-
Mob storms Russian airport 'looking for Jews'Speed Read Plane from Israel surrounded by rioters chanting antisemitic slogans after landing in Russia's Dagestan region
