Taliban Interior Minister Reappears After 52 Days Of Absence

Taliban members have released a video showing Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani attending Friday prayers at a mosque in Nadir Shah Kot district, Khost province. The footage, shared on Friday, comes after Haqqani was absent from his Kabul office for around 52 days.

A day before the video’s release, a high-level security meeting was held in Kandahar without Haqqani. The meeting was led by Defence Minister Mullah Yaqub, with Deputy Interior Minister Ibrahim Sadr attending in Haqqani’s place.

During Haqqani’s absence, Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada has made several key appointments over the past two months. On 24 February, Samiullah Hezbollah officially assumed office as the new governor of Takhar, replacing Obaidullah Aminzada.

The leadership reshuffle in northern provinces continues, with Akhundzada appointing Mullah Nik Mohammad Malang as the new police chief of Badakhshan.