Afghanistan Under Mono-Ethnic Taliban Rule: Analysis of Zabihullah Mujahid’s Year-End Statements.
In his end-of-year interview on December 30, 2025, Zabihullah Mujahid, Taliban spokesman, reiterated that the Taliban government will continue with its mono-ethnic structure, without meaningful inclusion of Afghanistan’s diverse ethnic communities.
Referring to four years of caretaker governance, Mujahid stated that the Taliban saw no political benefit in maintaining a “caretaker” label and therefore established a formal government although critics argue that this still excludes non-Pashtun populations from real participation in governance.
Mujahid’s statements reflect the opaque and closed nature of the Taliban’s governing structure, which is accepted only within the Taliban ranks, while other Afghan communities are not recognized as equal partners in the country.
Critics argue that this constitutes systematic discrimination, with some non-Pashtun groups even treated as outsiders or migrants.
Regarding security, Mujahid claimed that the Taliban have restored order in Afghanistan. However, opponents note that the same group previously carried out suicide and explosive attacks, often attributing civilian casualties to technical errors.
Concerns about human rights, social justice, and sustainable security remain significant, with many evaluating Taliban rule as founded on violence and suppression of the population.
