RASC News Agency: Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, leader of Hezb-e Islami, has subtly alluded to internal fractures within the Taliban, cautioning that Afghanistan’s current state suggests rival factions within the group are “on the brink of armed confrontation.” His remarks were conveyed in a video statement disseminated by two media platforms affiliated with Hezb-e Islami. Hekmatyar remarked, “Gunfire is being exchanged between opposing sides. Ordinary citizens are fleeing the country; instead of the anticipated return of eight million refugees, Iran, Pakistan, Turkey, and the United States are deporting Afghanistani nationals. Yet, the number of those displaced has not diminished.”
In his address, he urged Afghanistani citizens to unite in addressing the escalating crisis and to prevent the nation from descending into yet another conflict. He warned of the imminent dangers of both “civil war and external confrontation,” asserting that Afghanistan is veering off course, with an increasingly uncertain and perilous future. Hekmatyar underscored the urgent need for a Grand National Council to navigate the country out of its present turmoil, though he stopped short of explicitly advocating for a Loya Jirga. He elaborated, “We require a legitimate and structured government, one with clearly defined responsibilities and authorities. Regrettably, at present, we lack both a national charter and a constitution.”
The Hezb-e Islami leader further stated, “The situation is deeply unsettling, and the Afghanistani people are profoundly distressed.” In a veiled critique of the Taliban leadership, he asserted that the leader of an Islamic governance system in Afghanistan must be “competent, virtuous, and embody the attributes of prophetic leadership,” with the nation’s people actively participating in the selection process.
