Hiiraan Online
Saturday, August 1, 2015
MOGADISHU (HOL) ----The Al-Qaeda linked militant group in Somalia has performed a ritual prayer for the deceased Taliban leader Mullah Omar after the Afghan militant group elected a new leader after Omar’s mysterious death two years ago.
The death of Mullah Omar who led the movement for some 20 years - reported by the Afghan government on Wednesday - was confirmed by the Taliban on Thursday.
Hundreds of people including officials from Alshabab have turned out to perform the rite which took place in an unspecified location in Lower Shabelle region on Friday, according to pro-militants media.
It remains unclear whether the Alshabab group has established relations with Taliban; however, the two insurgent groups share their common ideology of spreading Jihad across the world, a principle which might have virtually integrated the two sides fighting in a far afield.
“We have observed this nonattendance burial ritual just because he was a great leader, the principal of the global Jihad.” said Sheikh Mohamed Abu-Abdalla, a senior Alshabab official.
He said that Omar has helped top global militant leader who were trained in Afghan training camps.
“It was really a shocking death – we see off a new brother everyday and now we saw off one of our brothers and we shall die following their steps.” He said.
The U.S. at one time offered a $10 million reward for information leading to Omar, saying he "represents a continuing threat to America and her allies."
He has led Taliban since 1996 during which Kabul fell to his followers until the U.S.-led War in Afghanistan began in early October 2001 which forces him into hiding and was still at large. He was thought to be in the Pashtun tribal region of Afghanistan or Pakistan.
Taliban leadership said his deputy, Mullah Akhtar Mansour, would replace him, although with the lesser title of Supreme Leader. Omar's son Yaqoob was thought to have been an unsuccessful candidate for the leadership.