Secluded in his stronghold in southern Afghanistan, reclusive Taliban Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada is the cornerstone of the movement that has ruled the country unchallenged since reclaiming power in 2021,

Afghan taekwondo star Marzieh Hamidi told AFP the death threats she has received, forcing her to live under French police protection, show how effective her stinging criticism of the Taliban has been.

Stanikzai voiced his frustration with the sweeping education bans, condemning the restrictions as both unjust and un-Islamic. He issued a direct and public appeal to Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, urging a change in the policy.

A senior Taliban figure has urged the group’s leader to scrap education bans on Afghan women and girls, saying there is no excuse for them, in a rare public rebuke of government policy. Sher Abbas Stanikzai, political deputy at the Foreign Ministry, made the remarks in a speech on Saturday in southeastern Khost province.

But the latest comments marked his first call for a change in policy and a direct appeal to Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada. Ibraheem Bahiss, an analyst with Crisis Group’s South Asia ...

But the latest comments marked his first call for a change in policy and a direct appeal to Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada. Ibraheem Bahiss, an analyst with Crisis Group's South Asia program ...

But the latest comments marked his first call for a change in policy and a direct appeal to Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada. Ibraheem Bahiss, an analyst with Crisis Group’s South Asia ...

An Afghan women's group is welcoming the decision by the International Criminal Court to arrest Taliban leaders for their persecution of women.

But the latest comments marked his first call for a change in policy and a direct appeal to Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada. Ibraheem Bahiss, an analyst with Crisis Group’s South Asia ...

A senior Taliban leader has publicly criticized his government’s policy of prohibiting female education in Afghanistan, calling it a “personal choice” rather than an interpretation of ...

But his latest comments represent the first call for a change in policy and a direct appeal to Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada. The international community has cited the gender apartheid in Afghanistan as it has denied recognition to the Taliban ...