Taliban Leader Fears Kabul, Says Former Afghan VP

Amrullah Saleh, the former Vice-President of Afghanistan, has claimed that Mullah Hibatullah, the leader of the Taliban, is fearful of Kabul.

In an interview with the Russian newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta, Saleh stated, “Mullah Hibatullah fears Kabul, where the majority of the population is not Pashtun, and the residents are highly critical of the Taliban regime.” He noted that Kabul has ceased to be the true capital of Afghanistan, with this role now being assumed by Kandahar.

Saleh explained, “It is evident that Hibatullah fears that if he were in Kabul, he would face constant protests. Consequently, the Taliban Emir resides in Kandahar, 500 kilometres from Kabul, to avoid demonstrations and potential threats of rebellion.”

He further remarked that the Taliban has largely maintained its control in Afghanistan due to regular financial support from the United States, emphasising, “The United States is the only country the Taliban respects.”

Saleh also claimed that the Taliban now poses a threat to Russian interests. He noted that Iran, Russia, and other countries have attempted to establish regional relations with the Taliban but have not succeeded.

While the US has withdrawn from Afghanistan, Saleh said that it continues to exert influence, alleging that the US pays the Taliban between $40 to $80 million weekly, with funds sent from Sulaymaniyah, Iraq. He suggested that without the US support, the Taliban would collapse within a week.

Saleh emphasised that the Taliban respects only the Doha Agreement with the US, underscoring that it is an agreement solely between the Taliban and the United States, with no other country involved. He urged regional countries to understand this clearly.

He questioned why regional nations continue to honour the US-Taliban agreement after the US withdrawal, arguing that it does not serve their interests.

Additionally, Saleh accused China of failing to respect Afghanistan's diverse society, stating, “Beijing does not understand that Afghanistan is not just Pashtunistan or Talibanistan; other people also live there, but China does not acknowledge them.”

Saleh described the Taliban's regime as unprecedentedly authoritarian, saying, “In our history, even a tyrant like Abdul Rahman Khan was not as deranged as Mullah Hibatullah.”