Hibatullah Akhundzada: Taliban's reclusive leader set to play key role in Afghanistan
Taliban's Haibatullah Akhundzada | Taliban forces in Afghanistan
As the Taliban tightens its grip over Afghanistan, the group's leaders are now coming to the forefront to build their regime after living years in exile.
Reports say the Taliban's supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, who has never made a public appearance and whose whereabouts have largely remained unknown, is currently in Kandahar.
According to the Taliban, Akhundzada has been living in Kandahar from the very beginning and is likely to make a public appearance soon.
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The so-called commander of the Taliban, Akhundzada has guided the militant organisation as its chief since 2016 when he was appointed to oversee the movement.
Akhundzada's absence follows years of rumours about his health, with many suggesting he had contracted coronavirus or had been killed in a military offensive. However, those reports have turned out to be false.
Despite his powerful position, very little information is available about Akhundzada's day-to-day role with his public profile largely limited to the release of annual messages during Islamic holidays.
The Taliban has a long history of keeping its top leaders away from the public eye. The group's founder Mullah Mohammad Omar was notorious for his reclusive ways and rarely travelled to Kabul when the group was in power in the 1990s.
A report earlier had said Akhundzadawould likely remain overall in charge in the country even as the Taliban seekto create a ruling council with Akhundzada likely to play a key role in the council.
(With inputs from Agencies)