Afghanistan: This Akhunzada to the Taliban’s ‘Supreme Leader’?

Who is in charge of the Supreme Commander of the Taliban, just a picture to tell his identity to the world!

Afghanistan: This Akhunzada to the Taliban’s ‘Supreme Leader’?

Global New News Desk –

The question of Akhunzada’s whereabouts has been revolving since the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in the second round in the middle of this month. Even after the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan two decades later, some of the group’s top leaders have returned to the country, but Akhundaja remains in hiding.Afghanistan: This Akhunzada to the Taliban’s ‘Supreme Leader’?

Top Taliban leaders, hardline commandos and madrassa students with guns have entered the capital, Kabul, since taking control of the whole of Afghanistan. The exception is just one place. Haibatullah Akhunzada, the organization’s supreme leader, has not yet entered Kabul.

Afghanistan: This Akhunzada to the Taliban’s ‘Supreme Leader’?

He was nowhere to be seen. The so-called commander has been in charge of the Taliban since 2016.

But he is not seen in public.

After taking charge of the Taliban in 2016, he faced a huge challenge to unite the organization. At that time, the Taliban was engaged in a bitter power struggle for some time.

Clashes erupted between the Taliban over the assassination of Haibatullah Akhunzada’s predecessor, Mullah Mansoor, and the death of Mullah Omar, the founder of the Taliban.

Very little is known about the daily activities of Haibatullah Akhunzada. His public activities are usually limited to giving annual sermons on Islamic holy days.

So far the Taliban have released a single photograph of him, he has never been seen in public and his whereabouts are unknown. As a result, many questions are circulating about him.

However, hiding top leaders is not new to the Taliban. Mullah Muhammad Omar, one of the leaders of the Taliban, is also known for his cover-ups. He  rarely seen in Kabul during the Taliban’s first term. Mollah Omar spent most of his time in Kandahar. He did not even want to meet the visiting foreign delegates.

Not much is known about Akhunzada’s whereabouts or his daily life. He did not disclose any information other than messages to Muslims on religious holidays.

Akhunzada’s position has become more tactful since the Taliban took control of Kabul on August 15. Taliban spokesman Jabihullah Mujahid said at a recent news conference,

“God willing, you will see him very soon.”

With many of the Taliban’s top leaders now in public, political analysts expect Haibatullah Akhunzada to be in the public eye.

They think Akhunzada is hiding in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province or on the border with Pakistan.

However, the Taliban have a tendency to keep top leaders secret. Mullah Mohammad Omar, the founder of the Taliban, kept himself hidden even during the Taliban regime. He did not want to meet many leaders of the party. He said he was not the only person in the Taliban to lead the movement.

Afghanistan: This Akhunzada to the Taliban’s ‘Supreme Leader’?

Laurel Miller, head of the International Crisis Group’s Asia program, told AFP that Akhunzada, like Mollah Omar, was maintaining complete secrecy.

Laurel Miller, head of the International Crisis Group, said Akhunzada had learned the habit from Mullah Omar. However, for security reasons, Akhunzada did not give his position, said Loren. He said, ‘Akhunzada may reappear on the scene to clear up the confusion over the assassination of his predecessor Mollah Akhtar Mansoor.

“Traditionally, I think he will control the Taliban from afar.”

In the eighties he took part in the war against the Soviet Union. However, he  better known as a religious leader than a military leader. Akhundaja was the head of the Sharia court in Afghanistan in the 1990s. Akhundaza  thought to be 70 years old and has spent most of his life in Afghanistan.

Imtiaz Gul, a Pakistani security analyst, said the Taliban would continue their jihad as long as foreign troops remained in Afghanistan. That is why they are not bringing their supreme leader to the fore. ‘

In 1996, the Taliban seized control of Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, and established the emirate. Akhunzada  then appointed Chief Justice of the Shariah Court of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

Unlike other Taliban leaders, he was not a military commander. But as a religious leader, he issued most of the Taliban’s fatwas. He used to settle religious matters.

On May 25, 2016, Akhunzada  appointed as the successor to Mullah Akhtar Mansour as the supreme leader of the Taliban. Mansoor  killed in a US drone strike.

At a time when the Taliban are at an all-time high in the face of US-led military strikes, Akhunzada plans to make the Taliban more resilient by tackling the crisis. He has played a key role in mobilizing disaffected Taliban members, plotting counter-attacks on NATO, and

maintaining unity within the coalition.

Earlier, rumors were circulating that Akhunzada had contracted the coronavirus. Some say he  killed in an attack by NATO forces.

Meanwhile, Taliban deputy spokesman Bilal Karimi told AFP that the Taliban’s top leader, Haibatullah Akhunzada, had  killed in Afghanistan.The third largest city has reached Kandahar.

“I am sure he (Haibatullah Akhunzada) has reached Kandahar,” he said. He will come out in public soon. ”

Bilal Karimi did not mention where Haibatullah was or where he came to Kandahar from. This is the first time since the Taliban took control of Kabul on August 15 that the Taliban have officially spoken out against Haibatullah.

The Taliban said a new cabinet could  formed in the next week or two. However, no decision has  taken on whether women will serve in the cabinet. Taliban spokesman Jabihullah Mujahid told Reuters on Saturday. Exactly when the cabinet will  formed  not mentioned.

Imtiaz Gul said Akhunzada’s biggest challenge would be to keep the party united when the Taliban return to power after a long and bloody 21-year war. Because there have been many divisions in the team during the long battle. Smaller factions have  formed, which have deviated from the center. One of the responsibilities

of Akhunzada will be to meet their division.

Akhundaja is the head of political, military and religious affairs as the supreme leader of the party. The highly educated Akhunzada does not take part in militant activities on behalf of the Taliban in that sense. Rather, he works on various interpretations of Islam. Akhunzada  believed to be one of the seven leaders in charge of Afghanistan.     

Afghanistan: This Akhunzada to the Taliban’s ‘Supreme Leader’?