Taliban Leader Orders Removal Of Intelligence Personnel From Defence & Interior Ministries

Leaked documents from the Taliban administration reveal that Mullah Hibatullah, the group’s leader, has issued a decree banning the “public and physical” presence of intelligence personnel in all government institutions, particularly within the Ministries of Defence and Interior.

The decree mandates that intelligence officers withdraw from these ministries and other governmental bodies. However, if operational or intelligence activities are required within these institutions, they must be coordinated with senior officials from the respective ministries to ensure full collaboration.

The order was issued by Noor-ul-Haq Anwar, Director-General of Administrative Affairs, and communicated to the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and other government agencies.

Unprecedented Data Leak in Afghanistan

This decree is part of thousands of leaked documents published online by an anonymous hacking group. Afghanistan International has obtained access to portions of these records, marking an unprecedented intelligence leak in Afghanistan.

Although previous reports have suggested tensions between the Taliban’s security agencies, particularly between the Intelligence Directorate and the Ministry of Interior, the leaked documents do not specify why intelligence personnel are being removed from these ministries but not from other government institutions.

The Taliban’s intelligence agency has played a key role in surveillance, and crime prevention since the group’s return to power.