Kabul : Talibanreclusive supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada Clerics appeared at a large gathering in the Afghan capital on Friday, calling for a rubber-stamp on the radical Islamist group’s rule in the country.
Akhundzada, who has not been filmed or photographed in public since the Taliban returned to power in August, will address the gathering later, a government spokesman said. Bilal Karimi tweeted.
Their arrival, broadcast on state radio, was greeted with cheers and chants, including “Long live the Islamic Emirate”. Afghanistan“, Taliban’s name for the country.
More than 3,000 clerics and elders have gathered in Kabul since Thursday for the three-day meeting, and Akhundzada’s presence was rumored for days – although the media has been barred from covering the event.
He rarely leaves Kandahar, the birthplace and spiritual stronghold of the Taliban, and has almost no digital footprint, apart from an undated photograph and several audio recordings of speeches.
But analysts say Akhundzada, who is believed to be in his 70s, has an iron grip on the movement and holds the title “commander of the faithful”.
Akhundzada’s appearance comes a week after a powerful earthquake hit the east of the country that killed more than 1,000 people and left thousands homeless.
No women are attending the clerics’ meeting, but a Taliban source told AFP this week that thorny issues such as girls’ education will be discussed – which has divided views in the movement.
Since the Taliban’s withdrawal, secondary school girls have been barred from education and women have been dismissed from government jobs, forbidden from traveling alone, and ordered to dress in those clothes. who cover everything except their face.
They have also banned the playing of non-religious music, banned the depiction of human figures in advertising, ordered TV channels to stop showing open women’s movies and soap operas, and asked men to let them know. One should dress in traditional attire and grow his/her beard.
The Taliban have made tight security arrangements in the capital for the meeting, but on Thursday two gunmen were gunned down near the venue.
Officials said the two opened fire from a terrace, but were “quickly eliminated by the mujahideen with the help of Almighty Allah”.
Officials have provided only little detail about the three-day men’s “jirga” – a traditional assembly of clerics and influential people who settle differences by consensus.
But much of the speech so far has focused on loyalty to the Taliban regime and severe punishment for those who oppose it.
The head of the assembly, Habibullah Haqqani, said in his inaugural address, “Obedience is the most important principle of the law.”
“We must faithfully and truly obey all of our leaders in all matters.”
A prominent cleric said on Thursday that anyone trying to topple the Taliban regime should be beheaded.
“This (Taliban) flag is not easily raised, and it will not be lowered easily,” said Mujeeb ur Rahman Ansari, the imam of the Gajargah mosque in Herat.
“All religious scholars in Afghanistan must come to this conclusion… Whoever commits the smallest act against our Islamic government should be beheaded.”
Women’s rights activists have criticized their lack of participation.
“Women should be part of the decisions of their fate,” Razia Barakzai told AFP on Thursday.
“Life has been taken away from Afghan women.”
Akhundzada, who has not been filmed or photographed in public since the Taliban returned to power in August, will address the gathering later, a government spokesman said. Bilal Karimi tweeted.
Their arrival, broadcast on state radio, was greeted with cheers and chants, including “Long live the Islamic Emirate”. Afghanistan“, Taliban’s name for the country.
More than 3,000 clerics and elders have gathered in Kabul since Thursday for the three-day meeting, and Akhundzada’s presence was rumored for days – although the media has been barred from covering the event.
He rarely leaves Kandahar, the birthplace and spiritual stronghold of the Taliban, and has almost no digital footprint, apart from an undated photograph and several audio recordings of speeches.
But analysts say Akhundzada, who is believed to be in his 70s, has an iron grip on the movement and holds the title “commander of the faithful”.
Akhundzada’s appearance comes a week after a powerful earthquake hit the east of the country that killed more than 1,000 people and left thousands homeless.
No women are attending the clerics’ meeting, but a Taliban source told AFP this week that thorny issues such as girls’ education will be discussed – which has divided views in the movement.
Since the Taliban’s withdrawal, secondary school girls have been barred from education and women have been dismissed from government jobs, forbidden from traveling alone, and ordered to dress in those clothes. who cover everything except their face.
They have also banned the playing of non-religious music, banned the depiction of human figures in advertising, ordered TV channels to stop showing open women’s movies and soap operas, and asked men to let them know. One should dress in traditional attire and grow his/her beard.
The Taliban have made tight security arrangements in the capital for the meeting, but on Thursday two gunmen were gunned down near the venue.
Officials said the two opened fire from a terrace, but were “quickly eliminated by the mujahideen with the help of Almighty Allah”.
Officials have provided only little detail about the three-day men’s “jirga” – a traditional assembly of clerics and influential people who settle differences by consensus.
But much of the speech so far has focused on loyalty to the Taliban regime and severe punishment for those who oppose it.
The head of the assembly, Habibullah Haqqani, said in his inaugural address, “Obedience is the most important principle of the law.”
“We must faithfully and truly obey all of our leaders in all matters.”
A prominent cleric said on Thursday that anyone trying to topple the Taliban regime should be beheaded.
“This (Taliban) flag is not easily raised, and it will not be lowered easily,” said Mujeeb ur Rahman Ansari, the imam of the Gajargah mosque in Herat.
“All religious scholars in Afghanistan must come to this conclusion… Whoever commits the smallest act against our Islamic government should be beheaded.”
Women’s rights activists have criticized their lack of participation.
“Women should be part of the decisions of their fate,” Razia Barakzai told AFP on Thursday.
“Life has been taken away from Afghan women.”