Afghanistan

Taliban leader issues new order to control military equipment distribution

In a recent decree issued by Hibatullah Akhundzada, the supreme leader of the Taliban, the distribution and use of military equipment will now be subject to his direct oversight and authorization.

This order, obtained by Amu TV and confirmed by multiple sources, extends to the stockpiles managed by the Taliban-run Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Interior, and the General Directorate of Intelligence.

Under this directive, no government institution is permitted to withdraw or distribute military equipment—including weapons, ammunition, surveillance cameras, and communication devices—from storage facilities without explicit permission from Akhundzada.

Additionally, all agencies have been instructed to submit comprehensive inventories of their equipment to the Office of Verification, Registration, and Oversight for detailed scrutiny.

The decree emphasizes the importance of safeguarding military depots and mandates that any distribution of equipment must occur in the presence of a representative from the Registration and Oversight Directorate. Furthermore, any unauthorized distribution of military resources from the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Interior, the General Directorate of Intelligence, or other independent agencies must be reversed, with the equipment returned to storage.

Sources indicate that this measure follows rising internal tensions and the unchecked distribution of weapons and ammunition, particularly by the Ministry of Interior to unofficial individuals in the eastern regions. Akhundzada has reportedly stripped the ministries of their authority to distribute military assets and ordered that all depots be secured and sealed in the presence of his appointed representatives.