The Taliban's fugitive chief Mullah Mohammad Omar has appointed his close aide Mawlawi Abdul Kabir as new commander of his loyalists in Afghanistan's eastern region, a local newspaper reported Sunday.

"Mawlawi Abdul Kabir has replaced Anwarul Haq Mujahid in eastern zone which includes Nangarhar, Laghman, Kunar and Nooristan provinces," Daily Afghanistan reported.

Kabir had served as provincial governor of Nangarhar during Taliban regime and he was considered very close to Taliban elusive leader Omar.

However, the Taliban has not made any comment on the report.

The Taliban, removed from power by the US invasion in late 2001, has waged a years-long war against the current Afghan administration and the international troops being deployed in the country.

(Xinhua News Agency October 22, 2007)