Haqqani met Akhundzada in Kandahar after criticism: Sources

Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani met Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada during a visit to the southern city of Kandahar, sources familiar with the matter told Amu TV.

Details of the meeting have not been made public, but the visit came days after Haqqani sharply criticised the Taliban’s style of governance in a speech in the eastern province of Khost on December 12.

Following his trip to Kandahar, the Taliban’s traditional power centre, Haqqani struck a markedly different tone, publicly stressing obedience to Akhundzada’s orders and calling for unity within the Taliban.

In a speech in Zabul province on Saturday, Haqqani said loyalty to the Taliban leader was essential. “Defending the country is an obligation for everyone. We must obey the orders of the Amir. When there is an order from the Amir, we do not need advice from others,” he said, adding that unity was vital for the survival of the system.

The remarks contrasted with statements Haqqani made on Dec. 12 in Khost, where he appeared to criticise Taliban governance, saying rule based on force, fear and hatred was unsustainable. “A government that is not based on the will and consent of the people is not a government,” he said at the time.

Sources said Haqqani travelled to Kandahar about a week after those comments and appeared among supporters in the city, where Akhundzada is based. Amu TV could not independently confirm whether Haqqani was summoned by the Taliban leader over his criticism, but sources said the two did meet.

Tensions within the Taliban leadership have surfaced periodically since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021. Sources previously told Amu TV that Haqqani had been dissatisfied with recent decisions by Akhundzada, including cuts to the Interior Ministry’s staffing levels and limits on its authority and access to military equipment.

A recent report by a United Nations sanctions monitoring committee said divisions persist within the Taliban leadership, particularly over security issues and alleged support for the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The report said some Taliban leaders view ties with the TTP as damaging, while others continue to support the group.