KABUL, Afghanistan — The reclusive supreme leader of the Taliban, Hibatullah Akhundzada, told Taliban officials from Kabul at a session in Kandahar that they must not obey any orders that contradict Islamic law, according to a Taliban statement.
His remarks, delivered at a closed seminar in Kandahar attended by civilian and military leaders, including the Taliban’s intelligence chief, appeared aimed at reinforcing ideological discipline amid growing international pressure and internal dissent.
“The scholars were sidelined from social and political life for centuries,” Akhundzada said, according to a summary of his comments released by the Taliban’s deputy spokesman, Hamdullah Fitrat, on Friday, May 2. “Today, power is in the hands of scholars, the Taliban, and righteous individuals. This responsibility must be carried with caution.”
While he did not refer explicitly to foreign governments or institutions, the Taliban leader appeared to allude to mounting criticism over the Taliban’s policies, particularly its restrictions on women and girls. He urged Taliban members to remain steadfast, saying they should fear no hardship “in the path of God.”
“Do not obey anyone if it contradicts Sharia,” he said.
Akhundzada also warned Taliban officials to avoid arrogance, division, and mutual distrust, and to resist what he described as attempts by enemies to sow discord through propaganda.
“The enemy wants to divide us,” he said. “We must avoid useless activities and their influence.”
In a rare directive aimed at governance, he urged members of the group to serve the Afghan people fairly and justly. “These people once served you,” he said. “Now it is your turn to show them mercy, make fair decisions among them, and deal strictly with oppressors.”
Akhundzada, who is believed to govern largely from Kandahar and rarely appears in public, has increasingly shaped the Taliban’s policy direction through private edicts and speeches delivered to inner-circle gatherings.
