KABUL, Afghanistan — Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid, the Taliban’s defense minister, at a ceremony marking Afghanistan’s Independence Day on Sunday, called on Taliban members to demonstrate absolute obedience to their leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, likening their loyalty to that of a “corpse on a washboard”.
At the event, attended by the highest-ranking political and security officials of the Taliban, Mujahid emphasized the importance of unwavering loyalty to the regime. Notably, the ceremony made no mention of King Amanullah Khan, the former monarch credited with securing Afghanistan’s independence from British rule.
Mujahid also expressed a desire for political and economic relations with the United States and the international community. “Obey this regime; especially obey the Amir al-Mu’minin [Akhundzada] and other leaders as you would if you were a dead body on a washboard, giving your life over to them,” he urged.
In addition to his call for loyalty, Mujahid issued stern warnings to the Islamic State and other Taliban adversaries. “We will not allow Afghanistan to become insecure at any cost. We will not permit a return to war in Afghanistan. Whether you are with ISIS or any other opposition, understand that we will never surrender by force,” he declared.
These statements come amid ongoing tensions within the Taliban leadership. Sirajuddin Haqqani, the acting Interior Minister, also spoke at the event, but the Taliban-controlled national television channel refrained from broadcasting his speech on its YouTube page.
In recent days, senior Taliban officials have increasingly emphasized the need for obedience and unity. At a recent reform meeting held in Kandahar, which brought together 600 high-ranking political and military Taliban officials, Akhundzada warned of internal divisions and instructed his followers to be as obedient as “a lifeless body.”
The speeches at the ceremony focused on resolving internal disputes. Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s acting Foreign Minister, acknowledged that all problems, including those related to education, can be resolved if internal conflicts are set aside.
“Only two things are beyond repair and unforgiving: internal divisions and confrontations with the outside world,” Muttaqi said. “Brothers, if we want to preserve our independence and stand our country on its feet, we must be cautious about these two things.”
The United Nations has reported on the existence of deep divisions within the Taliban leadership in several of its recent reports.
