AFP, KABUL: Afghanistan’s Haqqani network militant group posted a statement yesterday backing the appointment of Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour whose legitimacy has been challenged internally. The statement was posted on the Taliban’s website quoting its founder Jalaluddin Haqqani, a day after the insurgents denied Pakistani media reports that the infamous militant, believed to be in his 70s, had died. Mansour was appointed on Friday after the death of Taliban founder Mullah Mohammed Omar was confirmed by the group on Thursday, sparking fissures within the movement as some insurgents questioned the selection process. He has powerful rivals within the Taliban who are strongly opposed to peace talks with the Afghan government, while some are unhappy at the thought he may have deceived them for more than a year about Omar’s death.