Taliban leader has dismissed Abbas Stanikzai, the Taliban’s deputy foreign minister for political affairs, following rare public criticism of Hibatullah Akhundzada, according to multiple sources in Kabul and Kandahar.
The removal was reportedly ordered directly by Akhundzada with sources citing “incompetence” and waning popularity as the reasons behind the decision.
Stanikzai came under internal scrutiny after a speech at a religious school in Khost, where he sharply criticized the Taliban’s leadership — a rare and unusually public rebuke within the tightly controlled ranks of the group. He has since traveled to the United Arab Emirates and has not appeared at official Taliban events in recent months.
A local source familiar with the matter told Amu TV, “His post was eliminated due to a lack of public support.”
If confirmed, Stanikzai’s removal would mark one of the first known dismissals of a senior Taliban official based on political dissent since the group’s return to power in August 2021.
The Taliban’s Foreign Ministry has not issued a formal statement on the matter, and Stanikzai himself has made no public comment.
He was last seen in an official capacity during a Foreign Ministry event in late January 2024. Since then, no public images or reports have surfaced showing him participating in Taliban-led meetings or public functions.
In February, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid told the BBC that Stanikzai was on personal leave in the United Arab Emirates. “Part of his family lives in Dubai, and he has traveled there from time to time for rest,” Mujahid said at the time. “This is just one of those visits.”
As of this week, more than 80 days have passed since that statement, and no clarification has been offered regarding his status or any formal reassignment.
Stanikzai, a former Taliban negotiator during talks in Doha and a prominent figure in the group’s political wing, had long been viewed as a moderate voice within the Taliban’s leadership structure. His sidelining may signal further consolidation of power by hardliners close to Akhundzada and increased intolerance for internal dissent.
