RASC News Agency: Amid growing internal divisions within the Taliban, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar has emphasized that absolute obedience to the group’s Supreme Leader, Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, remains a fundamental and unalterable principle of their rule. His remarks come at a time when tensions within the Taliban leadership have reached a critical point. Recently, the Minister of Justice tendered his resignation, and reports indicate that the group’s Prime Minister, Mullah Hassan Akhund, has also submitted his resignation to Hibatullah Akhundzada. Furthermore, several senior Taliban figures, disillusioned with Hibatullah’s leadership, have relocated abroad.
Addressing the growing unrest, Mullah Baradar, the Taliban’s Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, sought to reassure military and civilian members, asserting that obedience to leadership is an unshakable cornerstone of the Taliban regime that must be upheld in all circumstances. Baradar, who had been in Qatar for some time, is reported to have recently returned to Kabul. On Thursday, his office issued a statement confirming his participation in the inauguration of several major charitable and commercial projects, as well as educational institutions affiliated with Azizi Group in Kabul.
During the event, Mullah Baradar claimed that Afghanistan’s trade and diplomatic relations with various countries are steadily improving, promising further positive developments in the near future. His office further reinforced the stance that unquestioning loyalty and adherence to leadership remain integral principles within the Taliban’s governance, irrespective of prevailing challenges. In recent weeks, several senior Taliban officials have openly defied Mullah Hibatullah’s directives, denouncing them as contradictory to both Islamic law and national interests.
In his address, Mullah Baradar urged the international community to adopt a more constructive approach in their engagement with Afghanistan, warning that continued economic and political pressures would yield no positive outcomes for any party. Nonetheless, reports indicate that internal rifts within the Taliban are deepening, raising serious concerns over the long-term stability of the group’s leadership.
