The Taliban announced on Tuesday an interim government drawn exclusively from their own loyalist ranks, with established hardliners in all key posts and no women—despite previous promises to form an inclusive administration for all Afghans.
But as the Taliban transition from militant force to governing power, they face a growing number of protests against their rule, with two people attending a demonstration shot dead in the western city of Herat.
The government announcement was the latest step in the Taliban’s bid to cement their total control over Afghanistan, following a stunning military victory that saw them oust the US-backed government on August 15, days ahead of the chaotic pullout of American troops.
The Taliban, notorious for their brutal and oppressive rule from 1996 to 2001, had promised a more inclusive government this time.
However, all the top positions were handed to key leaders from the movement and the Haqqani network – the most violent faction of the Taliban known for devastating attacks.
Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund —a senior minister during the Taliban’s reign in the 1990s—was appointed interim prime minister, the group’s chief spokesman said at a press conference in Kabul.
Mullah Yaqoob, the son of the Taliban founder and late supreme leader Mullah Omar, was named defense minister, while the position of interior minister was given to Sirajuddin Haqqani, the leader of the feared Haqqani network.
Co-founder Abdul Ghani Baradar, who oversaw the signing of the US withdrawal agreement in 2020, was appointed deputy prime minister.
“We will try to take people from other parts of the country,” spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said, adding that it was an interim government.
Same as the old Taliban
Hibatullah Akhundzada, the secretive supreme leader of the Taliban, released a statement saying that the new government would “work hard towards upholding Islamic rules and sharia law.”
The Taliban had made repeated pledges in recent days to rule with greater moderation than they had in their last stint in power.
However, analysts said the new lineup indicated little had in fact changed.
“The new Taliban, same as the old Taliban,” tweeted Bill Roggio, managing editor of the US-based Long War Journal.
“It’s not at all inclusive, and that’s no surprise whatsoever,” said Michael Kugelman, a South Asia expert at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.
Blinken to consult partners
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will hold talks in Germany on Wednesday with nations shaken by the Afghanistan withdrawal. AFP
The top US diplomat flew out of Qatar, the largest transit hub in a massive airlift from Afghanistan, to tour another processing hub for thousands of evacuees at the US airbase in Ramstein, Germany.
Blinken will meet in Ramstein with German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas before they lead a 20-nation virtual meeting of ministers on the way forward in Afghanistan.
The United States will likely seek to shore up international pressure on the Taliban to make good on their commitments to let Afghans leave freely if they choose.
The talks could also bring coordination on how to deal with the caretaker government announced Tuesday, which has no women or non-Taliban members and includes an interior minister who the United States is seeking to arrest on terrorism accusations.
The United States said it was “concerned” by the makeup of the government, but would judge it by its actions. US officials have stressed that any official recognition of a Taliban government is far off.
