Taliban spokesman Waheedullah Hashimi told Reuters on August 18th that Afghanistan should be led by a Taliban council in the future, with the Taliban’s supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, playing a presidential-like role, above the committee and in full control of large and small affairs. In addition, the Taliban will persuade pilots and soldiers from afghanistan’s former government forces to join their ranks.
Hashemi outlined a blueprint for the power structure similar to the Taliban’s rule of Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, when supreme ruler Omar was behind the scenes and left day-to-day affairs to a committee, the Guardian reported on August 19.
Taliban leaders will meet later this week to discuss and arrange governance, but have ruled out any form of democracy.
“There will be no democracy at all, because there is no foundation in our country,” Hashemi told Reuters in an interview. ”
There are fears that the Taliban will oppress women as they did when they last came to power, and Hashemi has not dispelled some fears.
“Our Urima will determine whether girls can go to school,” he said, adding that religious scholars will also decide on women’s dress codes, “depending on them.” ”
According to Reuters reported on August 18, Hashemi also said that the Taliban will build a new national military force, which, in addition to retaining former Taliban militants, will also persuade the pilots and soldiers of the former Afghan government forces to join. “Most of them have trained in Turkey, Germany and the UK, so we will talk to them to get them back on the job.”
In response, Reuters said the outcome of the Taliban appeal remains to be seen. Thousands of Afghan soldiers have been killed by the Taliban over the past two decades.
