Clashes created a rift between groups led by Mullah Baradar and Khalil Haqqani . Earlier this month differences between the Taliban factions arose. However no one had seen this during their earlier rule two decades ago.
TWO FACTIONS OF TALIBAN.
Power hunger within the Taliban has badly injured two key officials. The deputy prime minister Mullah Baradar and the group’s spiritual leader Haibatullah Akhundzada. There were arguments during the government formation talks between Baradar faction and the Haqqani network. The former emerged as the “principal loser”.
PAKISTAN’S ROLE
The chief Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) also supported the Haqqani. This led to all of the key positions going to Pakistani loyalists. This was primarily from the hardline Haqqani network.
The clashes in September saw “furniture as well as large thermos flasks thrown around”, said The Spectator.
SEVERE CLASHES
During the meeting, Haqqani network leader Khalil-ul-Rahman Haqqani rose from his chair. Following this he a began punching Baradar. Baradar had urged for an “inclusive” cabinet that included non-Taliban leaders and ethnic minorities. This would be more acceptable to the rest of the world.
Haqqani disappeared for a while after the clashes and resurfaced in Kandahar. Rahman held a gathering tribal leaders who are supporting him. Taliban forced him to release a video message on a TV network controlled by them. The message “looked like a hostage video”.
On Akhundzada, they reported that his whereabouts are not known. People had not seen or heard from for some time, and there are many rumours that he is dead.
Taliban factions were arguing due to this vacuum.
The Taliban and Haqqani groups merged around 2016.
Baradar and those involved in Doha talks were trying to project a moderate image of the Taliban, but Haqqanis have praised suicide attacks. Khalil Haqqani, Afghanistan’s minister of refugees, is on the United Nations sanctions list. Officials have linked this to its military operations.
The Haqqanis are deeply embedded into Pakistan’s security apparatus and take their name from the Darul Uloom Haqqania madrassa near Islamabad. Image credits : Wikipedia
