NEW DELHI: Taliban’s supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada, who is likely to become the head of the ruling council of Afghanistan, may be in Pakistan army’s custody, according to sources. The tip-off about the whereabouts of the elusive 60-year-old Taliban leader, to Indian agencies has come from foreign intel agencies, an official said.
Akhundzada, who holds final authority over the group’s political, religious, and military affairs, has not been seen in public over the past six months. Akhundzada’s last public statement came in May - to mark Eid al-Fitr, a holiday signalling the end of Ramzan.
The senior-most leader of Taliban being in Pak army custody could have serious implications for New Delhi as the militia may be directed to target India. Akhundzada, known as the “Leader of the Faithful”, took over the reins of Taliban when his predecessor, Akhtar Mansour, was killed in a US drone strike near the Afghan-Pakistan border in 2016. He is believed to have taught and preached at a mosque in Kuchlak, a town in southwestern Pakistan.
Meanwhile, the Taliban’s ‘moderate’ mask further slipped on Friday with reports of targeted killings of people who had worked with US-led forces and the previous government. Reports also said the Taliban is unlikely to make any decisions or announcements about the upcoming government until after the August 31 US withdrawal date passes.
18K evacuated: NATO
More than 18,000 people have been flown out since the militants took the capital Kabul, according to NATO
Friday prayers calm
Friday prayers were peaceful in Kabul, with no Taliban men seen in the mosques
Journalists targeted
German news organisation Deutsche Welle said the Taliban are targeting their journalists and the relative of a reporter was shot dead