RASC News Agency: Ahmad Zia Siraj, the former head of Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security (NDS), claims that Sirajuddin Haqqani had orchestrated a coup against Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban’s supreme leader, but his attempt was thwarted. According to Siraj, Haqqani has now gone into hiding, fearing that Hibatullah may have him assassinated. He stated that the Taliban leader has grown convinced that Haqqani and a faction of Taliban officials were conspiring to overthrow him. As a result, Haqqani has chosen to remain out of sight to evade possible elimination.
Speaking on Tuesday, March 11, Siraj asserted that Hibatullah believes foreign governments were also involved in backing Haqqani’s coup attempt. To neutralize the perceived threat, he stripped Haqqani of his authority and reassigned his powers to Sadr Ibrahim, the deputy minister of interior for security affairs. Once a vocal critic of Hibatullah and a prominent figure in the media, Haqqani has remained unseen for months, with no new statements or public appearances. Siraj emphasized that from his power base in Kandahar, Hibatullah perceives Haqqani as the central figure in the opposition against him. By eliminating Haqqani, he believes he can completely dismantle any coup efforts within the Taliban’s ranks.
Siraj further claimed that after sensing imminent danger, Haqqani fled from Saudi Arabia to Khost and then sought refuge in Pakistan. Previous reports indicated that a faction within the Taliban, frustrated by Hibatullah’s rigid policies and concentration of power, had sought leadership changes within the group. Haqqani, Abbas Stanikzai, and other senior Taliban figures accused Hibatullah of monopolizing authority and demanded greater political inclusivity. In response, Hibatullah allegedly ordered the arrest of Stanikzai, prompting him to flee Afghanistan. Haqqani also departed on an international trip and has not been publicly seen since.
