by Khalid Khan
The Taliban factions, particularly the Kandahari group and the Haqqani group, are trying to gain international support. The Haqqani group, led by Sirajuddin Haqqani, has been meeting with high-ranking officials in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to gain support from the Middle East and Central Asia. On the other hand, the Kandahari group, led by Hibatullah Akhundzada, is also seeking international support and has received backing from Qatar and other countries.
The recent visit of Sirajuddin Haqqani to the UAE reflects the ongoing struggle between the two factions, as the Haqqani group seeks international allies against Hibatullah Akhundzada’s influential faction. Meanwhile, Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani also held secret meetings with Israeli representatives in Dubai, which has raised eyebrows. During the meeting, Haqqani acknowledged that Afghanistan has never had any issue recognizing Israel, and in fact, Israel has always considered the Taliban a strong rival of Iran. In 1996, Israel recognized the Taliban, and in 2021, Taliban advisor Suhail Shaheen expressed willingness to improve relations with Israel in an interview with Israeli TV.
The power struggle between the Haqqani and Kandahari factions has been ongoing since 2021 when the Taliban took control of Afghanistan. While the issues between the two groups have mostly been limited to within the country, they are now surfacing internationally. Unfortunately, Afghanistan has stooped so low as to seek recognition from others. Sirajuddin Haqqani is among those who would sell their faith for power. After meeting with Jewish officials, Haqqani went on to perform Hajj. It is ironic that both groups, who claim to be the guardians of Islam, have gone so far in their quest for power that they can no longer distinguish between right and wrong. The Afghan Taliban do not care about the oppression of Muslims in Kashmir and Palestine.
The recent entry of Haqqani, designated as a global terrorist by the US, into the UAE and his meetings with Israeli representatives have raised important questions and speculations about the future of Afghanistan. It remains to be seen how far the Taliban will stop.
The internal differences among the different groups have increased, and in the power struggle, they have become each other’s enemies. The differences and hostility among the TTP have reached the point of killing and plunder, despite their claim to be on the same page. Their internal conflicts are increasing day by day. These groups are blinded by their greed for power and wealth and are willing to kill each other.
The leader of the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group, Lala alias Mansoor, and Abdullah were killed in the Gurbaz district of Khost, Afghanistan, by the rival Mahsud group for the sake of power. Many important commanders of the TTP have been killed in the infighting, and their leaders are proof that they are hypocrites.
On the other hand from January 1, 2024, to June 11, 2024, Pakistani security forces conducted several security operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, killing 516 Kharijites and polytheists. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that the Pakistani people stand with the Pakistan Army in the war against terror and the series of eliminating these terrorists will continue until their destruction.