Taliban Governor Of Balkh Demands Military Trial For Deputy FM Abbas Stanekzai

Documents obtained by Afghanistan International reveal that Mohammad Yousuf Wafa, the Taliban governor of Balkh, has filed a formal complaint with the Taliban Supreme Court, calling for a military trial of Abbas Stanekzai, the group’s deputy foreign minister.

Wafa accused Stanekzai of “disrespecting” Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada and opposing his decrees.

According to an official letter from the Office of the Governor of Balkh, dated 20 January, Wafa urged the court to prosecute Stanekzai for his criticism of Akhundzada’s policies. The letter alleges that Stanekzai’s remarks, made during a religious ceremony in Khost province, amount to “opposition to the orders of the Taliban leader” and should be met with judicial action.

The complaint outlines seven instances of what Wafa describes as “indirect disrespect” and defiance of the Taliban leader. He argued that, under Islamic law, obedience to the leader is obligatory and that disobedience carries divine consequences.

In his letter, Wafa requested that the Supreme Court conduct a military trial against Stanekzai, asserting: “I demand the trial of the aforementioned [Stanekzai] and seek nothing but a Sharia-based judicial process in defence of the Islamic system. The military court can be in Balkh or any other province as deemed appropriate.”

On 27 January, Afghanistan International reported that Abbas Stanekzai fled Afghanistan to the United Arab Emirates after Akhundzada ordered his arrest. Sources confirmed that Taliban Defence Minister Mullah Yaqub Mujahid assisted in his immediate departure to Dubai.

According to sources, after Stanekzai bluntly talked against the Taliban’s ban on girls’ education, Akhundzada ordered Abdul Haq Wasiq, the group’s intelligence chief, to arrest and impose a travel ban on Stanekzai. Upon learning of the order, Wasiq allegedly contacted Defence Minister Mujahid, a key ally of Stanekzai within the Taliban’s ranks. Mujahid then urged Stanekzai to leave Afghanistan immediately.

During a speech on 19 January at a graduation ceremony for religious students in Khost, Stanekzai criticised the Taliban’s policies towards women, stating: “The Taliban are acting against Sharia and are committing injustice against 20 million Afghan women and girls.” He urged the group’s leadership to reopen schools and universities for girls, asserting that no religious justification exists for their continued closure.

Mohammad Yousuf Wafa is a close confidant of Hibatullah Akhundzada. He was appointed governor of Balkh following the assassination of his predecessor, Mullah Mohammad Daud Muzamil, on 9 March 2024. Previously, he served as the governor of Kandahar and was considered a high-profile target of ISIS following the killing of Khalil-ur-Rahman Haqqani, the former Taliban Minister for Refugees.

The official complaint against Abbas Stanekzai—one of the Taliban’s senior figures—signals growing internal divisions within the group’s leadership. His escape, coupled with Wafa’s demand for his trial, highlights rising tensions within the Taliban’s upper ranks.