Taliban set to designate Haibatullah Akhundzada as supreme leader

The Taliban are set to designate Sheikh Haibatullah Akhundzada as the country’s supreme leader as the creation of Afghanistan’s new government nears completion a Taliban official said.

According to media reports, the announcement may come as early as Thursday. According to reports, the Taliban are also ready to occupy important government positions in the war-torn country, according to a Taliban official who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

This week, Sheikh Haibatullah has been meeting with other senior Taliban figures in Kandahar.

Bloomberg News reported on the preparations for the new administration, including Sheikh Haibatullah’s new position, quoting Bilal Karimi, a member of the Taliban’s culture council.

Head of government

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, a Taliban co-founder who has served as the group’s deputy commander in recent years, was anticipated to be in control of day-to-day operations as head of government, according to the report.

In peace discussions with the US in Qatar, Baradar served as the group’s main negotiator, presiding over an accord that paved the way for the US departure from Afghanistan.

Share of Haqqani group in government

Other important government posts are likely to go to Sirajuddin Haqqani, another deputy and a powerful operations commander inside the movement, and Mawlawi Mohammad Yaqoob, the son of the Taliban group’s founder, Mullah Muhammad Omar.

The function of a leadership shura or council, and whether its members will meet the Taliban’s pledge of forming an inclusive government, remained unknown. The issue of whether past administrations’ leaders, like Hamid Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah, who have stayed in Kabul for negotiations, will be included remains unanswered.

According to reports, other Taliban officials likely to be appointed to cabinet positions include Sadar Ibrahim, who has served as de facto interior minister since the Taliban took power.