Taliban Name New Leader After Mansour's Death

The Afghan Taliban has named Haibatullah Akhunzada as its new leader after Mullah Akhtar Mansour was killed in a US drone strike.

Akhunzada was one of Mansour's two deputies, and it is believed he was selected at a meeting in Pakistan.

Little is known about him, although he is said to be around 60 and a respected religious scholar.

According to AFP, the insurgents struggled to find a successor after the two main contenders backed out of the race.

One of them was Sirajuddin Haqqani, a guerrilla commander who is regarded by US officials as the organisation's most dangerous warlord.

A Taliban spokesman said Akhunzada was appointed by "unanimous agreement" in the supreme council, with all members pledging allegiance to him.

The news came as at least 11 people were killed in a suicide bomb attack on a minibus carrying appeal court staff in the Afghan capital, Kabul.

The Taliban have claimed responsibility for the attack, which was carried out during the morning rush hour.

Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danish said the bomber detonated an explosives vest as he walked past the minibus.

Mr Danish said the dead included court employees and civilians, and four other people were injured.

In a statement, the Taliban said the bombing was in "revenge for the killing of six innocent prisoners in Kabul".

This was a reference to the hanging at a Kabul prison earlier this month of six Taliban members convicted of terrorism.

The strike against Mansour , which had been authorised by President Barack Obama, took place on Saturday afternoon in a remote area of Pakistan near the border with Afghanistan.

A Pentagon spokesman said Mansour was overseeing plans to target US personnel and troops assisting and training Afghan armed forces.

Pakistan has described the drone strike as a "violation" of its airspace and sovereignty.