The Taliban on Thursday confirmed the death of their founder, Mullah Mohammad Omar, and appointed a new leader, marking a historic transition of power for the insurgent movement.

The Taliban said Mullah Omar died of an illness, without saying when, and called for a three-day mourning period in mosques everywhere. The statement comes a day after the Kabul government said he had died in the spring of 2013, capping years of intense speculation on the fate of the reclusive leader.

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