Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada
8am: In his Eid al-Fitr message, Hibatullah Akhundzada, the supreme leader of the Taliban, has urged members of the group to avoid internal disagreements and discord similar to that of the past mujahideen. This comes amidst recent reports indicating Akhundzada’s efforts to consolidate his power, with some members reportedly defying his directives. Earlier, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), citing its sources, noted that mid-level Taliban commanders maintain close ties with senior leaders, often bypassing Akhundzada’s commands. Akhundzada exclusively addresses men in his message, overlooking women entirely. He underscores an increase in the activities of the Taliban’s Ministry for Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice and mosque imams, urging clerics to “reform” people. However, some citizens perceive the Taliban supreme leader’s message as a denial of citizens’ rights and as hostage-taking. Conversely, some argue that Akhundzada has refrained from declaring “global jihad” following scrutiny of unmanned aerial vehicles and is advocating for better relations with the world. They contend that the Taliban’s security assurances are “lies” and that the group has harbored dozens of regional terrorist organizations in Afghanistan. Click here to read more (external link).
Related