Local Taliban official in Faryab: Former political leaders no longer have a place in Afghanistan.
In a speech against former Afghan political leaders, Mullah Mansour, the head of Taliban intelligence in Faryab province, said that figures living abroad have “failed” and are trying to attract young people from disadvantaged classes for their political goals.
He stated at a local gathering: “Leaders who are living a good life in the West today want to use poor and needy children inside the country for their nefarious purposes; but people are now aware and will not be deceived.”
Without directly naming specific individuals, Mansour criticized former jihadi parties, especially the National Movement Party led by Marshal Abdul Rashid Dostum and the Jamiat-e-Islami Party led by Atta Noor and Salahuddin Rabbani.
He claimed that the leaders of these parties “have traded in the blood of the people for years” and now “have no place or influence in Afghanistan.”
The Taliban official’s statements come at a time when many former political leaders from abroad accuse the Taliban of repression, monopolization of power, and violation of the rights of citizens, especially women.
