KABUL— The Taliban’s Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada has continued to tighten control over governance in Afghanistan, reinforcing his authority through key leadership meetings in Kandahar and appointing loyalists to strategic positions, according to a United Nations report.
The report, covering November 2024 to January 2025, highlights new restrictions on women’s rights, the consolidation of power within Taliban leadership, and concerns over the enforcement of Islamic law under Akhundzada’s rule.
According to the report, the Taliban leader presided over multiple high-level meetings in Kandahar, with top officials from Kabul and regional provinces attending. These meetings resulted in several key policy decisions, including the creation of a new department tasked with overseeing the inventory and distribution of weapons, ammunition, and military equipment under direct Taliban leadership, a decree issued on December 10, addressing pensions for government retirees, after months of protests by civil servants over unpaid benefits and appointments of Taliban loyalists to senior national and provincial leadership positions, with no women included.
The Taliban leader’s influence has also extended to tightening social and moral policies, particularly through the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, the report says.
During the reporting period, new decrees included a ban on women attending medical education programs, including midwifery, nursing, and nutrition studies.
It also included expanded enforcement of gender segregation policies, including barring women from attending public trade fairs.
Another part included crackdowns on independent media, with journalists arrested for broadcasting content deemed contrary to Islamic principles, the report says.
Human rights groups have raised concerns that enhanced enforcement of these restrictions is further isolating Afghan women, limiting their access to healthcare, employment, and education.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has taken note of these policies, with its prosecutor requesting arrest warrants for Akhundzada and the Taliban’s Chief Justice, citing crimes against humanity related to gender persecution.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has reported that civil society activists and women’s groups continue to protest against these policies, despite growing risks of arrest and persecution.
As the Taliban leader solidifies power in Kandahar, concerns persist over deepening restrictions on fundamental freedoms and the potential for further economic and social deterioration. The international community has urged Taliban authorities to ease these restrictions, though little change is expected under Akhundzada’s rule.
