KABUL: The unyielding cleric Mullah Haibatullah Akundzada has reinforced his position as the new Afghan Taliban’s leader by winning the support of two senior members, the insurgent group said on Saturday. Former Taliban members Mullah Abdul Razaq Akhund and Mullah Abdul Sata Akhund ‘pledged their full support’ to Akundzada during a meeting of the militants at an undisclosed location on Friday, the group said on its website. Akundzada in May replaced former Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Akhtar Mansour who was killed by a United States (US) drone strike. Senior members of the insurgent group hope Akundzada will be able to bring the separate factions together after splits emerged last year when Mansour was appointed. Afghan security forces have struggled to hold off the Taliban fighters – who are estimated to control more territory in Afghanistan than at any time since 2001 when the US invaded.