KABUL — Taliban officials confirmed the death of the group’s founder Thursday and picked his former deputy as successor even as they put the brakes on peace talks with Afghan leaders.
The series of moves — which also included strengthening ties with a militant faction with al-Qaida links — pointed to possible rifts within the Taliban and a potential major blow to hopes for negotiating an end Afghanistan’s 14-year conflict.
Yet the Taliban also offered some rare hints at outreach and self-reflection by apologizing for past “mistakes” under the rule of the late Mohammad Omar, who Afghan officials said died more than two years ago.
A second round of peace talks between the Taliban and the government in Kabul had been scheduled to begin Friday in Pakistan, which hosted the opening session this month.
A statement from Pakistan’s foreign minister said the Taliban had requested the postponement amid “uncertainty” following confirmation of the death of Omar.
Taliban officials did not publicly announce their intention to snub the planned talks, but envoys at their political office in Qatar said they knew of no new talks.
Seeking an end to the 14-year insurgency by Taliban forces is a priority for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.
Omar’s death, however, could raise complications.
It also could deepen divides between factions supporting the peace initiative and those seeking to press ahead with the Taliban insurgency, which has included intensified attacks in Kabul and gains by Taliban fighters in Afghanistan’s north.
