There is complete unity within the leadership of the group, and none of its senior officials is considering the possibility of replacing the supreme leader, Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, said Rahmatullah Najib, Administrative Deputy Minister of the Interior of the Taliban movement, Afintl.af reports.
Speaking on December 14 at a graduation ceremony for Taliban police officers in Maidan Wardak province, Najib said he had personally held meetings with all key figures of the movement. According to him, there are no discussions within the leadership about replacing the “Emir al-Mumineen,” and all leaders continue to operate under his leadership.
Najib stressed that the Taliban leadership remains united in confronting opponents of the existing system and continues to follow Akhundzada’s course.
During his speech, he also stated that a system of governance based on democratic values has no public support in Afghanistan and cannot be implemented in the country. Calls for democracy, he said, pose risks to people’s lives and do not correspond to local realities. He urged firm action against those who, in his words, oppose the current system.
Najib’s remarks came amid internal discussions within the movement following a recent speech by Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani. Haqqani’s comments, made earlier in Khost province, were widely interpreted as criticism of the governing style and the authorities’ treatment of the population, including an implicit acknowledgment of the use of pressure and intimidation to maintain control.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
December 16, 2025