Afghan Taliban reveal grave of founder leader Mullah Omar

By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD (AA) – The Afghan Taliban revealed the location of their founder leader Mullah Omar's grave after nine years, according to officials.

For the first time, the top leadership of the Afghan Taliban on Sunday publicly visited their founder leader’s tomb in the Suri district of Zabul province and released a video and photos of the location.

The Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan last year on Aug. 15 as the officials of the US-backed Kabul administration fled the country and foreign forces withdrew.

“The grave of the late Amirul Momineen Mullah Muhammad Omar Mujahid was revealed during the ceremony. The prime minister and members of the Cabinet went to the shrine of Amirul Momineen in Umarzo area of Zabul's Suri district,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid tweeted.

He also posted a video and photos where the key leaders, including acting Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, acting Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Baradar, acting Defense Minister Mohammad Yaqub Mujahid, and acting Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, attended the ceremony.

Born in Kandahar, Mullah Omar founded the Taliban group in 1994 and served as its leader until his death.

The officials also held a prayer and Holy Quran recitation ceremony while visiting the tomb of their leader who died in 2013.

“When he came out of Kandahar (after the US invaded Afghanistan in 2001), he came to Zabul province and was in Suri district. However, he went to Shinkay district for 20 to 25 days and then came back to Suri district and was here until his death,” Omar's son and acting Defense Minister Muhammad Yaqoob Mujahid told the ceremony in Zabul province.

The Taliban kept his death a secret for two years, only revealing it in April 2015.