Afghan Taliban leaders have issued different messages for Eid. Experts say it shows tensions

KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) — Messages from two influential Taliban leaders in Afghanistan this week showed tensions between hardliners and more moderate elements who want to abandon tougher policies and attract more outside support, they said. Thursday experts.

Messages for Eid al-Fitr marking end of Ramadan delivered by Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzadawho defended the imposition of Islamic law and criticized the international community for its criticism, and the interior minister Sirajuddin Haqqaniwho called on the Taliban to show humility and avoid behaving in a way that makes Afghans unhappy.

The Taliban took power in 2021 amid the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. and NATO forces after two decades of war. Their regime, particularly bans targeting women and girls, has drawn widespread condemnation and deepened their international isolation.

The reclusive Akhundzada posted two messages for Eid. In the first, a written statement published Saturday in seven languages, including Arabic, English, Turkmen and Uzbek, he appeared conciliatory and pragmatic, providing measured advice to officials of the administration controlled by the Taliban.

He issued the second during a rare public appearance Wednesday at the Eidgah mosque in the Taliban heartland of Kandahar in the south. His Eid sermon, a half-hour speech in Pashto, was more in line with the tone and content of his past fiery messages.

“If anyone has problems with us, we are willing to resolve them, but we will never compromise on our principles or on Islam,” he said. “At the same time, we do not expect Islam to be violated. I won’t even stray from Sharia (Islamic law). They (the international community) oppose it, saying that public stoning and amputation are against their laws and human rights. You expect us to follow your laws while imposing them on us.

Akhundzada is almost never seen in public. There is no photo of his address and his face has been hidden from the thousands of worshipers.

Haqqani released his Eid message on Wednesday in the languages ​​commonly spoken in Afghanistan, Dari and Pashtun. He called on the Taliban to avoid creating a divide between the population and the authorities. And unlike Akhundzada, he referred to the challenges facing the country.

“We know that after almost half a century of problems and difficulties, we cannot easily and urgently hope for the kind of life and opportunities we want, but the important thing is that the (Islamic) system ) and the entire nation is working to realize these wishes,” he said.

Michael Kugelman, director of the Wilson Center’s South Asia Institute, said Haqqani, in trying to show a softer side, sought to gain the trust and support of a broader Afghan public, aware of the Taliban’s “brutal form” of governance. But for Akhundzada, the Eid sermon was about cementing support and loyalty among those around him.

The messages were also aimed at a global audience. The Haqqani Network is seeking investment and help from the international community, Kugelman said.

“Projecting a softer side is probably intended to put potential donors more at ease. With the emir (Akhundzada), it is about signaling that the social agenda of the Taliban, particularly their abhorrent policies towards women, is non-negotiable,” he said.

The Taliban have barred women from education beyond sixth grade, most jobs, and public spaces like parks. They implemented corporal punishment and public executions, practices observed during their first period in power in the late 1990s. The economy is now in decline and Afghans face drought, hunger and massive displacements.

Pakistani journalist and author Ahmed Rashid, author of several books on Afghanistan and the Taliban, said the two leaders were sending a strong message to the faithful: nothing has changed despite pressure from the West.

“There are clearly divisions within the Taliban, but they hold together,” Rashid said. “There are moderate elements who want to see women educated, but they are not in a position of power and are therefore biding their time.”

He described Akhundzada as a talented communicator who used his mosque training to good effect. “This is how he establishes his mandate. But it doesn’t answer the questions people are asking. There are elements of Afghan society that want something better.

Haqqani has previously spoken out against the Taliban’s leadership and decision-making, drawing rebukes from chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.

But Haqqani did not overstep his Eid message, according to Rashid. “It’s on the outskirts, but it’s very popular. His support base pushes him forward.

The Taliban’s dual messaging is also part of a slick campaign to show they have clout and clout at home and abroad, he said: “They’re saying, ‘ We can get the message across.’ They did it with pride and conviction.

No country recognizes the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan. But some important regional players, including China, Iran and Pakistan, maintain formal diplomatic relations with them.