The Taliban killed one of their former leaders who was known as the first commander of the group hailing from the minority Shi'ite Hazara community, officials confirmed on Wednesday, adding that he had rebelled against the de facto government.
Mawlawi Mahdi was shot dead by Taliban forces near the border with Iran as he attempted to flee the country, the defence ministry said in a statement.
Mahdi's appointment as a commander some years ago was touted as an example of the Taliban's changed on stance on minorities. He was in the spotlight after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in the wake of the pullout of western forces last year.
