Kim Hjelmgaard

USA TODAY

The Afghan Taliban announced Wednesday that its new leader is Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, a hawkish deputy of Mullah Akhtar Mansour who was killed in an American drone strike last week.

Mansour was killed in Pakistan on Saturday when his vehicle was struck by a drone attack, but the Taliban only confirmed his death Wednesday. The insurgent group said Akhundzada was chosen at a meeting of Taliban leaders, but offered no other details.

Mansour had drawn scorn from the U.S. and Afghan governments for refusing to participate in a peace process. Javid Faisal, spokesman for Afghan president Abdullah Abdullah, issued a dark invitation for Akhundzada to join talks.

"We invite Mula #Haibatullah to peace. Political settlement is the only option for #Taliban or new leadership will face the fate of #Mansoor.

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Not all of the militant movement's members supported the choice. A breakaway Taliban faction led by Mullah Mohammad Rasool, which has battled Mansour for control of drug smuggling routes, said it would not accept Akhundzada as leader, the Associated Press reported. The group complained that he was chosen by the same small clique of leaders that selected Mansour, rather than by the rank and file.

Akhundzada is a religious cleric and scholar and the former leader of the Taliban's court system who is known for his extremist views. His appointment comes amid a leadership crisis for the militant movement following the death of its founder Mullar Omar last summer. Mullah Yaqoub, Omar's son, was named a deputy of Akhundzada along with Sirajuddin Haqqani.

Haqqani leads the Taliban-allied Haqqani Network terrorist organization that held U.S. Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl before his release in a prisoner swap. The U.S. State Department says the group is one of the most lethal insurgent groups targeting international military advisers and Afghan personnel in the country and has put a $10 million bounty on Haqqani's head.

The Taliban has been fighting to overthrow Afghanistan's government since being driven out by U.S.-led forces in 2001. Akhundzada's appointment came as a suicide bomber on Wednesday struck a minibus carrying court employees in the Afghan capital, killing at least 10 people. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, making good on its vow to target government workers in Kabul's judiciary.

Contributing: John Bacon