Afghanistan

Pakistani cleric Fazal Rehman meets with Taliban leader in Kandahar

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — Maulana Fazal Rehman, a Pakistani cleric, met with Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada in Kandahar on Wednesday, as reported by Pakistani media.

Rehman, the leader of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, a political group in Pakistan, had arrived in Kabul on Sunday, Jan. 6, and has since held meetings with various Taliban officials in the city.

The details of the meeting in Kandahar have not been revealed yet. Taliban also has not commented on the meeting so far.

This meeting marks the second time a foreign official has met with the Taliban leader in Kandahar. Last May, the Prime Minister of Qatar also held discussions with Akhundzada in the city.