Afghanistan: Taliban supreme leader Akhundzada makes first public appearance in Kandahar

Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada on Sunday, 31 October, made his first public appearance in Afghanistan, according to Al Mayadeen. The Taliban officials reportedly said that Akundzada, who has been the spiritual chief of the Islamist movement since 2016, met his supporters in Kandahar. It is to mention that Akhundzada was thought to be outside his country until Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid announced that the supreme leader was indeed in Afghanistan. 

“He is present in Kandahar. He has been living there from the very beginning,” the spokesman announced. 

Separately, on Sunday, the Taliban officials said that Akhundzada visited the Darul Uloom Hakimah Madrasa - a religious school in Kandahar - on Saturday to “speak to his brave soldiers and disciples”. 

No media has emerged from the event as there was reportedly tight security and no photographs or videos were allowed. However, Taliban social media accounts have released a ten-minute audio recording, which saw the Taliban supreme leader opting for a religious message instead of a political one. 

Meanwhile, it was just last week that the Taliban dismissed rumours about Akhundzada’s death. Speaking to the media, Afghanistan Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani's brother Anas Haqqani claimed that this was mere propaganda. Moreover, he claimed to have held two meetings with Akhundzada recently. 

It is to mention that Akhundzada has remained a reclusive figure even after the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in August. He was avoiding politics and only delivering a religious address. Akhundazada has been the Taliban’s leader since 2016 after a US drone strike killed his predecessor, Mullah Akhtar Mansour. 

Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan 

On August 31, the terror outfit gained control of the Kabul airport after the last batch of US troops left Afghanistan. Though the Taliban promised to form an "inclusive" government to run Afghanistan, it announced a caretaker Cabinet that neither has women nor mainstream politicians from previous regimes. While Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, the chief of the Taliban's Rehbari Shura, is the new Prime Minister, he has two deputies in Mullah Baradar and Mawlawi Hanafi. So far, the terror outfit's rule has been marked by repression of women's rights, restrictions on media, economic crisis and atrocities on Panjshir residents.

(With inputs from ANI)