The Taliban confirmed the death of longtime leader Mullah Mohammad Omar and appointed his successor on Thursday.

A new round of peace talks was indefinitely postponed amid concerns over how committed the new leadership is to ending the militant group's 14-year insurgency.

The Afghan Taliban Shura, or Supreme Council, chose Mullah Omar's deputy, Mullah Akhtar Mansoor, as its new leader, two Taliban figures said, adding that the seven-member council had met in the Pakistani city of Quetta.