RASC News Agency: In the wake of the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) decision to issue arrest warrants for Taliban leader Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada and Abdul Hakim Haqqani, senior Taliban officials have vehemently rejected the move, labeling it “invalid and unacceptable” while demanding its immediate withdrawal. The Taliban’s Directorate of Information and Culture in Ghor province has escalated the rhetoric, issuing direct threats against the ICC. The department warned that if the court fails to retract its decision, it would resort to deploying “suicide forces” to target the institution and its allied entities.
This extraordinary threat follows the ICC’s warrant accusing Mullah Haibatullah and the Taliban’s Supreme Court chief of committing crimes under international law. In a series of incendiary posts on Facebook, the Taliban’s Directorate in Ghor asserted that the group’s leader commands “thousands of young suicide operatives” who stand ready to defend him. The department warned that the ICC and its supporters would face insurmountable resistance before even approaching the Taliban leader. In one post, the department unequivocally stated that the ICC and its allied nations lack the capacity to implement the court’s ruling, asserting that any attempt to act against the Taliban would be “neutralized” by their “sacrificial forces” upon the leader’s command.
Meanwhile, certain Taliban officials have petitioned the ICC to dismiss the arrest warrants entirely, further showcasing the group’s defiance. In stark contrast, Afghanistani citizens have broadly welcomed the ICC’s decision, viewing it as a long-overdue step toward justice and accountability. The Taliban’s overt threats to the ICC not only highlight their disregard for international law but also raise grave concerns about the safety and efficacy of global judicial institutions in holding perpetrators of war crimes accountable.
