A Taliban spokesperson has released an audio file attributed to Hibatullah Akhundzada, the group’s Supreme Leader. He claimed that Eid prayers were held in Kandahar under Akhundzada’s leadership. As in the past, no images of Akhundzada were made public, suggesting once again that he has turned away from the people while delivering his address. In his Eid message to the people of Afghanistan, he stated that those who are poor were created so by God from the beginning, and no one else can alter their fate. Meanwhile, political leaders and officials from Afghanistan’s previous government have issued contrasting messages regarding the Taliban’s actions and the strategies for political and military resistance against the group. During Eid al-Fitr, many senior officials from past administrations and anti-Taliban fronts called for meaningful unity and convergence among all forces opposing the Taliban. At the same time, the Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF) announced it would resume operations against the Taliban and urged people to avoid the group’s gathering points. The leader of the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRF) emphasized the importance of standing firm in the pursuit of justice.
Over the past three and a half years, despite widespread poverty and persistent unemployment, the Taliban have presented no plans for poverty alleviation, job creation, or sustainable development in the country. On the contrary, the group’s leader has described poverty as divinely ordained and eternal, urging the poor to be patient and not hold anyone accountable for their plight. During this period, anti-Taliban leaders and fronts have consistently stressed resistance and the fight against the Taliban, advocating for a political system based on the will of the people. The Taliban, however, claim their regime is rooted in Sharia law and will not allow any group to establish democracy in the country. This report compiles some of the messages from the Taliban’s opponents and its leader.
Taliban’s Eid Messages: Obey Us, Poverty Is from God
Hibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban’s Hidden Supreme Leader, once again spoke to the public from behind the scenes without showing himself to worshippers. Akhundzada told Taliban members that failure to obey him would lead Afghanistan toward war. He described obedience to the “Supreme Leader” as a religious obligation for Muslims, emphasizing that it is necessary to resolve disputes among them.
The Taliban’s Hidden Supreme Leader reiterated his rejection of the previous government’s laws. According to him, Afghanistan does not need Western laws, and democracy in the country has come to an end. The speech attributed to Akhundzada, released by Zabihullah Mujahid, states that he rejects every article of Afghanistan’s former constitution and insists the Taliban must draft a new law. He noted that the Taliban’s Ministry of Justice and Supreme Court had presented him with some past laws with minor amendments, but he rejected them.
In his address, Akhundzada said poverty is part of divine destiny and the poor should not complain about their condition. He claimed that God knew from eternity that the poor are patient, which is why they were created as such. The Taliban Supreme Leader urged the poor to be content and not blame others for their economic struggles, stating: “Since God created the poor, it has been known to Him from eternity that these individuals are patient. Those who are patient say, ‘God has decided that I should be poor, and I am content with this decision.’”
While the Taliban Supreme Leader emphasized unity among the group’s members, senior Taliban officials in Kabul held two separate Eid prayers—one at the Arg (presidential palace) and another at Sepidar Palace. Mullah Hassan Akhund, the Taliban’s Prime Minister, performed Eid prayers at the Arg with his deputies and other group figures. In contrast, Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, the Taliban’s Minister of Migration Affairs and former political deputy to the Prime Minister, held prayers at Sepidar Palace.
Opponents’ Message: Meaningful Convergence and Resistance Against the Taliban
On the occasion of Eid al-Fitr, the Afghanistan Freedom Front stressed the need for meaningful unity and convergence among all anti-Taliban forces. The group announced it would resume operations against the Taliban after the Eid days and asked people to steer clear of Taliban gathering points. The Afghanistan Freedom Front emphasized that armed struggle against the Taliban is the most critical mission for Afghanistan’s current generation. It praised the civil and political struggles of Afghan women for their fundamental rights, calling them “the intellectual backbone of freedom fighters.” The group stressed that the people’s demands should not be limited to securing women’s rights to education and work but must extend to dismantling the Taliban regime entirely.
Similarly, Ahmad Massoud, leader of the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan, said in an Eid al-Fitr message that standing firm for justice is the highest form of moral, human, and conscientious commitment. Without directly naming the Taliban, he underscored the importance of resistance and the pursuit of justice.
Meanwhile, several jihadi leaders and former government officials also issued Eid messages emphasizing unity and alignment among political forces against the Taliban.
Dr. Rangin Dadfar Spanta, former Foreign Minister and National Security Advisor of Afghanistan’s previous government, wrote on his X page on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr, extending greetings to all the country’s fighting women and mothers and to those whose hearts beat for freedom and justice.
Marshal Abdul Rashid Dostum, former Vice President, held the Taliban responsible for the current crisis in the country. Stressing unity and resistance to change the situation, he described Afghanistan’s current conditions as “sensitive and complex,” warning that political conflicts and “mysterious games” have endangered the nation’s fate. Dostum asserted, “A transformative change is on the way, and we will overcome these difficulties.”
Mohammad Karim Khalili, another former Vice President, accused the Taliban of enforcing “ethnic and gender apartheid.” He said the Taliban’s disregard for international laws and support for terrorist groups have left Afghanistan in complete international isolation for years. Khalili described the situation in Afghanistan as critical, with discrimination, tyranny, and violence at their peak. He added that the country’s economic infrastructure has been severely damaged, and poverty and unemployment are on the rise.
Meanwhile, former President Hamid Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah, former Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation, issued separate Eid messages urging businessmen and investors to assist the needy.
At the same time, several women’s protest movements released separate statements emphasizing solidarity among anti-Taliban forces and their support for women. Their messages stated that the Taliban have institutionalized a gender apartheid regime in Afghanistan. They called on the international community to designate a day on the global calendar to recognize Afghan women’s struggles. They also urged the men of society to break their silence and take action to resist and overthrow the Taliban regime.
Additionally, dozens of citizens, particularly social media users, reacted to the Taliban Supreme Leader’s remarks, asserting that the group shifts its irresponsibility and incompetence onto “God” by calling people’s poverty divine fate while they are primarily responsible for the country’s poverty and unemployment.
You can read the Persian version of this daily report here:
