A senior former Taliban official, Mutasim Agha Jan, has been detained by the Taliban intelligence in southern Afghanistan’s Kandahar province, sources familiar with the matter said on Thursday.
The sources added that Agha Jan was arrested about five days ago while traveling from Kabul to Kandahar. Taliban have not publicly commented on the detention.
The reasons for his arrest remain unclear, but sources said it may be linked to efforts to establish a joint religious platform involving clerics from Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The initiative was intended to ease tensions and promote dialogue between the two sides, the sources said.
They added that the proposed effort was expected to involve several religious figures, including Nazar Mohammad Afghani, Najibullah Munib and Zahid Rashidi.
In addition to that initiative, Taliban officials were said to be concerned about Agha Jan’s independent activities, including frequent travel and private investments.
According to the sources, he has invested roughly $10 million in recent years, including in religious education, and owns property in both Kabul and Kandahar. His homes in those cities have at times been searched by Taliban security agencies, the sources said.
The detention reflects broader sensitivities within the Taliban leadership toward political or religious activities conducted outside official structures, which are often viewed as a threat to internal cohesion.
Sources said Agha Jan had previously been detained twice by the Taliban intelligence.
He is believed to have returned to Afghanistan from Istanbul in recent years with the backing of Taliban defense minister Yaqub Mujahid.
Agha Jan is considered a prominent figure within the Taliban movement since 2001, having played roles in its financial and political structures and maintaining close ties to the family of Mullah Mohammad Omar, the Taliban’s founder leader.
During the Taliban’s first period of rule, he served as finance minister. Some members of the Taliban have regarded him as a relatively moderate figure with political experience, according to the sources.
Taliban have not commented on his arrest.
