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The Azadi Briefing: Reclusive Afghan Taliban Chief Appears To Make Rare Trip

By Abubakar Siddique September 06, 2024

The Key Issue

The Taliban's spiritual leader, Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, appears to have made a rare trip outside his stronghold in southern Afghanistan.

The reclusive leader seldom leaves the southern city of Kandahar, which is known as the birthplace of the Taliban and has become the de facto capital under the militant group's rule.

But this week, the Taliban said Akhundzada travelled to northern Afghanistan in what is believed to be his first trip to the region since the group's takeover in 2021.

Videos uploaded by the Taliban on social media showed a long convoy of armored cars traveling to cities and towns in the provinces of Badghis, Faryab, Jowzjan, Balkh, and Samangan.

Akhundzada was not seen in any of the videos or photos released by the Taliban. In its press statements, the Taliban said he met local officials and called on them to enforce a new draconian morality law.

Adopted on August 21, the widely condemned law imposes severe restrictions on the appearances and movements of women and men.

Why It's Important: Akhundzada, a hard-line cleric, is believed to only meet a small cadre of Taliban officials and avoids public appearances. He has rarely met foreign diplomats or dignitaries visiting Afghanistan. The Taliban chief also avoids being photographed or filmed.

Sami Yousafzai, a veteran Afghan journalist and commentator, said Akhundzada's trip to northern Afghanistan was aimed at projecting power and confidence.

As the Taliban's "Amir ul-Momineen," or leader of the faithful, Akhundzada has the final say on all important matters.

Akhundzada's extremist policies, many of them reminiscent of those under the Taliban's brutal regime in the 1990s, has made the militant group an international pariah.

What's Next: It's unclear whether Akhundzada will play a more active and visible role, or if his recent trip was a one-off.

But what is clear is that he has consolidated power and empowered extremist clerics within the Taliban, despite growing internal opposition to his policies.

What To Keep An Eye On

Afghan migrants and refugees have complained that they are being detained and harassed in neighboring Pakistan.

Police detained a group of Afghans in a neighborhood in the capital, Islamabad, on September 4.

"We were scared and surprised," Sabira, an Afghan woman, told RFE/RL's Radio Azadi.

She said police questioned several Afghan families visiting a park in Islamabad's B-17 neighborhood.

Why It's Important: The detentions appear to suggest the Pakistani authorities could launch a new crackdown on Afghans.

Last year, Islamabad expelled more than 500,000 Afghans as part of its campaign to deport undocumented migrants from the country.

Earlier this year, Pakistan suspended the planned expulsion of more Afghans amid mounting international pressure.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/afghanistan- taliban-haibatullah-akhunzada-power/33109633.html

Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.