New Delhi: Senior Taliban leader Abdul Ghani Baradar, who is Afghanistan’s prime minister, has returned to Kabul and brought in his own security personnel after being denied security by the Sirajuddin Haqqani-led Interior Ministry.
Baradar is seen as a moderate voice in the Taliban and has also led peace talks with the United States.
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According to reports, he was attacked by the Haqqani network in early September and rumors were mounting that he had been killed. But the Taliban then issued an audio statement confirming that Baradar was doing well.
His defiance in using Haqqani’s security personnel is being seen as a sign of infiltration between various Taliban factions. According to reports, the Taliban shows a united front, but there are differences among the leaders which are creating a rift in the group.
Baradar’s move points to problems between the Yakub and Haqqani factions. While the former is led by Mohammad Yacoub, the son of Amir-ul-Momin Mullah Omar, the founder of the Taliban and the first of the Taliban’s Pashtun faction.
The Haqqani network is headed by Sirajuddin Haqqani who is close to Pakistan and backed by ISI.
Baradar’s withdrawal has fueled fears that tensions could escalate in Kabul. Reports said Taliban leader Anas Haqqani has denied claims of a rift in the group on Twitter.
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