RASC News Agency: In the midst of the protracted conflict between Israel and Hamas, Mullah Haibtullah Akhundzada, the assumed leader of the Taliban group, contends that, despite the West proclaiming a commitment to human rights, there exists a grave oppression against Muslims in Palestine, amounting to what he terms “genocide.”
An audio recording attributed to Akhundzada and disseminated on Wednesday, January 17th, via social media by Hedayatullah Hedayat, the deputy of the Taliban-controlled national radio and television, challenges the Western powers’ emphasis on human rights compliance in Afghanistan and other nations, deeming it unsubstantiated according to the Taliban leader. The precise time and location of this audio recording remain undisclosed, though Hedayat asserts that the remarks were made on Thursday.
Mullah Haibtullah further asserts, “Today, you hear the voices of the ignorant and oppressors discussing human rights globally, yet in Palestine, severe oppression persists against Muslims, resulting in what can be described as genocide.” While concerns are raised by citizens, particularly women in Afghanistan, and international organizations regarding the Taliban’s transgressions against women’s rights, the leader of this group reiterates his claim that women’s rights in Afghanistan are unequivocally assured.
Notably, in this audio recording, Mullah Haibtullah Akhundzada omits addressing the matter of education for girls in Afghanistan. This omission is striking given his previous declarations that, following the Taliban’s resurgence in the country, they would uphold the rights of Afghanistani women and girls. This assertion comes to the fore as Afghanistan, under the Taliban’s governance, garners recognition as one of the most inhospitable countries for women, with the group fundamentally restricting their rights, encompassing education, employment, and freedom of movement.
