30 July 2015 BBC News
Mullah
Mohammed Omar has seemed like a cat with nine
lives.
There have been
numerous unconfirmed reports the leader of Afghanistan's Taliban died before now.
But this time
they're being taken more seriously after the Afghan government said
on Wednesday he died of health problems in
2013.
Described by the
militants as having a "special sense of humour", he was
recognisable for the shrapnel injury in his right eye.
He became "supreme
leader" of the Taliban in 1996 and was close to Osama Bin Laden
before the al-Quaeda leader's death.
Under his rule in
Afghanistan, there was a strict interpretation of Islamic
law.
Women were strongly
discouraged from leaving their homes, denied schooling and jobs and
forced to fully cover themselves.
Women found guilty
of adultery were stoned to death, homosexuals were crushed under
brick walls, thieves' hands amputated and those accused of murder
publicly executed by victims' families.
Muslims converting
to other religions could be sentenced to death and the country's
ancient Buddhist statues were demolished.
While in power,
Mullah Omar rarely left his large house in Kandahar, apparently
built for him by Bin Laden.
The two were
reported to have spoken by satellite telephone every day, and some
believe they also met for fishing trips.
It's even thought
Omar married Bin Laden's eldest daughter, and that Bin Laden may
have taken one of Omar's daughters as a fourth wife.
But in 2001, his
alliance with Bin Laden prompted the US-led invasion of Afghanistan
after the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington.
When US-led forces
overthrew his government in 2001, he went into hiding and hadn't
been seen in public since.
That's despite a
$10m (£6m) US reward for his capture and one of the world's biggest
manhunts.
Even before his
government was forced from power, he was a reclusive figure - few
pictures of him exist.
Since then, the
Taliban have released several messages apparently from the
leader.
The last audio
message came in 2006. It had been leaked and wasn't meant for
public eyes.
Earlier this month,
a statement released in his name expressed support for the peace
talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government.
But that was a
written message on the Taliban website, not an audio or video
recording, fuelling rumours his health.
In the last few
years, even some high-ranking Taliban have started asking questions
about their leader's health, life and ability to run the
insurgency.
While the Taliban's
day-to-day affairs have been managed by his deputies, everything
else has revolved around Mullah Omar's name.
Despite the 2001
invasion, in which 453 British troops died, the Taliban was never
defeated as planned.
In fact many argue
the group became stronger than ever in recent years.
The militants
steadily extended their influence, making huge parts of Afghanistan
insecure and increasingly violent.
But the group's also
becoming increasingly splintered.
The lack of evidence
that Mullah Omar was alive has been a big factor in the defection
of several senior Taliban commanders to the group known as Islamic
State (IS).
And the latest
announcement could cause more tensions as a new leader's
chosen.
It's also likely to
upset those who'll believe they were misled for years. And members
whose loyalties lay with Omar could now be more likely to
defect.
IS has also made big
inroads in Afghanistan, taking control of significant
areas.
And on an
international scale, IS is now clearly seen as the biggest Islamist
threat to the west.
Prime Minister David
Cameron has called IS "one of the biggest threats the
world has ever faced".