Mullah Mohammad Omar, who went from being an obscure cleric to one of the world’s most-wanted fugitives as the spiritual leader of the Taliban, is dead, said the Afghan government and two people close to the insurgent group.

News of his demise, which Afghan officials say took place in 2013, raises questions about the leadership of the group that allied with al Qaeda, fought a war with the U.S. and is now divided over whether to pursue an elusive peace deal with Afghanistan’s new government.

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