Taliban supremo Haibatullah Akhundzada is alive and to prove his well-being, he made a public appearance in a madrasa in Kandahar. However, the militant group did not release any photo or video of their leader. But a ten-minute audio recording was shared by Taliban social media accounts.
Haibatullah Akhundzada, who was not seen in public since the US-Taliban Doha deal last year, visited Jamia Darul Uloom Hakimia, a religious school in Kandahar on Saturday.
"The commander of the believers, Sheikh Haibatullah Akhundzada, appeared before a large congregation at the famous Darul Uloom Hakimah madrasa and addressed “his brave soldiers and disciples," the Taliban government spokesperson said on Sunday.
According to AFP, the Taliban chief Akhundzada,in his speech, made no political comments. Instead, he asked for God's blessing for the Taliban leadership. He also prayed for the martyrs of the movement, the wounded fighters and the success of the Islamic Emirate officials in this "great test."
According to the experts, this is Akhundzada’s first public appearance. It was reported earlier that he was seen in Kandahar for a brief period after the group captured Afghanistan.
If true, it would be the first time Akhundzada has appeared in public in Afghanistan—a move which could quell rumours that he may be dead.
“He is the Emir of the Islamic Emirate. He is in Afghanistan. He has the right to see any Afghan anytime and hear their problems,” TOLO news quoted the deputy prime minister, Abdul Salam Hanafi as saying.
Islamic Emirate’s Leader Appears in Kandahar: Officials
The Taliban's top leader Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada has been absent from important meetings and has not been seen in public for more than one year, triggering speculation about him being “alive”. But the Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid had said that Mullah Haibatullah was alive in a safe and secure place, and his absence in public was driven by security concerns.
Mujahid said that all their leaders and officials are in contact with the supreme leader. They take his advice on all important issues and share their reports with him.
According to multiple intelligence reports, even after the US withdrawals, the militant group has a fear of US drone attacks. Akhundzada was appointed leader of the Taliban in a swift transition of power after a 2016 US drone strike killed his predecessor, Mullah Akhtar Mansour. In January this year, there were media reports that Akhundzada had been killed in a bomb blast in a mosque in Quetta. His brother and a number of people of his seminary had apparently also suffered casualties in the incident, which is said to have taken place in April 2020.
Also Read : Absent from meetings for a year, is Taliban Supremo Haibatullah Akhundzada still alive?
