It was released days after a USA drone killed Akhundzada’s predecessor, Mullah Akhtar Mansour, in Pakistan.
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Religious scholar Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, named Wednesday as the Afghan Taliban’s new leader, was a senior judge during the insurgent group’s five-year rule over Afghanistan and issued many of its harsh verdicts.
The Islamic militant group named Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada to replace Mansour, who replaced the group’s founder, Mullah Mohammad Omar, just a year ago.
Since 2004, about 391 drone strikes have been carried out by the U.S. in Pakistani territory against Al-Qaeda and Taliban, out of which 73 per cent of total United States drone strike took place in North Waziristan and 23 per cent in South Waziristan.
Akhundzada was appointed as “chief justice” after a US-led forces attacked Afghanistan back in 2001 and topple the Taliban government.
Within an hour of the appointment being announced, a bus carrying court employees west of Kabul was blown up in a suicide attack, killing up to 11 people and wounding more.
Even as deliberations over its new leadership were going on Wednesday in Pakistan, the Taliban proved their ability to launch new attacks.
It marked a significant shift for Washington, highlighting a new willingness to target the group’s leaders in Pakistan and risk retaliatory attacks against struggling Afghan security forces.
If they don’t, “they will face the fate of their leadership”, Hashimi said, referring to former Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansoor.
Maulavi Haibatullah’s other deputy will be Mullah Mohammad Yacoub, the son of Mullah Omar, who is seen as a unifying figure within the fragmented insurgency. “Pakistan can change the personality and attitude of the Taliban, squeezing them like an aluminum can”, said the aide.
Haibatullah Akhunzada, believed to be around 60 years of age and a member of the powerful Noorzai tribe, is from Kandahar, in the south of Afghanistan and the heartland of the Taliban.
He reaffirmed defense department’s support to the Afghan government in its efforts to build a brighter and safe future for the citizens. He is said to maintain close links with the Quetta Shura, the council of Afghan Taliban leaders based in the Pakistani city of Quetta.
The official said Akhundzada’s appointment will have little affect on the battlefield – aggressive attacks by the Taliban are still expected as this fighting season begins.
Reached by telephone, Mr. Mujahid said the Taliban were launching an investigation to learn who was distributing the recording. A former foreign minister under the Taliban, Mullah Mohammad Ghous, told The Associated Press that Akhundzada was well-respected inside the movement and choosing him as leader was “a very wise decision”.
Some analysts and observers had feared Haqqani would be appointed to lead the insurgent group.
Two Taliban commanders had provided the audio to reporters late yesterday, saying it was an official statement. It also represented a message to Pakistan that the US would take action on Pakistani soil if necessary without advance warning, according to the newspaper.
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Notably, in April 2016, Mullah Yaqoob, was given a senior Taliban military position and was made in charge of military commission in 15 of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces.
