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Taleban chief's death opens door to peace

This development has come at a critical time, as the Taleban are divided about joining peace talks, and Mansour was seen as a stumbling block.

The taking out of Mullah Mansour, the Taleban chief in a drone strike is being seen as a major victory against the dreaded militia. The precision strike surprised the Taleban, who admitted their leader has been killed in the restive bordering zone near Quetta. The Pentagon said Kabul and Islamabad were on board before the missile was fired by the drone.This development has come at a critical time, as the Taleban are divided about joining peace talks, and Mansour was seen as a stumbling block. The vacuum created by his death could again trigger a leadership struggle. His tenure of less than 10 months was one of many twists and turns, in which he made every effort to extend the militia's reach. The Taleban were regrouping and had launched their spring offensive - targeting US and Afghan forces - not only in the southern provinces, but also in and around the capital, Kabul.
The fact that Taleban are active on both sides of the Durand Line, and the militia under Mansour managed to capture an important province for the first time in 15 years, proved his influence and effectiveness. But his exit will lead to rumblings in the ranks and a period of uncertainty in the group, which the government should exploit.That is why a spokesperson for the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani hoped that it could pave the way for lasting peace and stability. Pakistan, surprisingly, said Mansour's killing will have an adverse impact on peace talks. The Foreign Office went on to say that "military action is not a solution". This will be seen as an appeasement policy towards the Taleban. Pakistan should desist from any such misadventure. As the Pakistan Army is engaged in a do-or-die fight against the militants, these statements will send confusing signals. The need of the hour is for all the stakeholders in the region is to join hands against the militants, and drive them out from Afghanistan. Pakistan will benefit from the peace that follows and so will the region as a whole.