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7 months ago
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ARTICLE AD BOX
On Saturday, in a statement, the leader of the Afghan Taliban movement, Hibatullah Akhundzada, called on officials in the movement to put aside their differences and devote themselves to serving their country, as Eid al-Fitr approaches.
It seems that public opposition within the Taliban is unlikely, but some leaders in the movement have shown dissatisfaction with decisions taken by the leadership, especially the ban on female education.
Akhundzada, a reclusive leader who rarely leaves the Taliban stronghold in Kandahar province in the south of the country, and never appears in public, has played a major role in imposing restrictions on women and girls, sparking international outrage and isolating the Taliban on the global stage.
Akhundzada's message was distributed in seven languages, including Uzbek and Turkmen, and is an attempt by the Taliban to court the rich Central Asian countries for investment, and to give legitimacy to the country's rule.
The message touched on diplomatic relations, economics, justice and charity.
Akhundzada said in the letter that Taliban officials should "live a brotherly life among themselves, avoiding quarrels and selfishness."
Hassan Abbas, a professor at the National Defense University in Washington, D.C., and author of “The Return of the Taliban,” noted that Akhundzada’s message seemed “quite reasonable” and focused on issues of governance and anti-corruption.
Abbas added: I believe that the message aims to dispel the negative impression left by the audio recording that was released recently and presented an ideological message that many see as very reactionary, especially with regard to general punishments and women’s rights.
The Taliban-controlled Supreme Court also announced on Saturday that six people, including a woman, faced flogging for adultery in Logar province, eastern Afghanistan.
English (US)