One of the dreaded Taliban leaders, Mullah Mohammed Omar, is died, but the militant group has not commented on the claim.

According to Afghan intelligent sources, the reclusive leader died about three years ago. No further details have been released.

A Taliban spokesman said the group would issue a statement shortly.

There have been several reports of Mullah Omar's death in the past but this happens to be the first to be confirmed by top sources in the Afghan government.

Mullah Omar led the Taliban to victory over rival Afghan militias in the civil war that followed the withdrawal of Soviet troops.

His alliance with al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden made him a fugitive and thus prompted the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington.

Mullah Omar has since been in hiding, with a $10m US state department bounty on his head.

The Taliban have released several messages purported to be from the fugitive leader over the years.