Mullah Omar sacks top Taliban commander

KABUL, Afghanistan, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- One of the top military leaders of the Taliban in Afghanistan has been fired for failing to obey orders.

Mullah Omar, the head of the organization, released a statement announcing the dismissal of Mansoor Dadullah, the BBC reported. Dadullah was in command in southern Afghanistan, including the provinces of Helmand and Kandahar.

"Mansoor Dadullah does not obey the rules of the Islamic emirate and violates it," Mullah Omar's statement said. "Therefore it was decided not to appoint any post in the emirate to him."

Mansoor Dadullah's brother, Mullah Dadullah, was killed in May, becoming the highest-ranking Taliban leader to die in enemy action since the invasion following the 2001 terrorist attacks. He is believed to have been the architect of Taliban resistance since the Taliban was ousted from Afghanistan.