December 31, 2007:
In Afghanistan,
Taliban supreme leader Mullah Omar has publically dismissed one of his top
military commanders, Shah Mansoor Dadullah, for "disobeying orders." Dadullah
was also expelled from the Taliban. Shah Mansoor Dadullah was in charge of
Taliban operations in Kandahar and Helmand province. This is the most active
area of combat with the Taliban. Shah Mansoor Dadullah is the younger brother
of Mullah Dadullah, another Taliban leader who was killed last May by NATO
troops. Shah Mansoor Dadullah succeeded his older brother, but apparently not
to the satisfaction of the top Taliban; Mullah Omar. Both Dadullah brothers had
a reputation for greed and ruthless behavior. The Dadullah boys took well to
working with the drug gangs. Apparently the Taliban leadership is having second
thoughts about the un-Islamic behavior of this new generation of field
commanders.