The head of the Afghanistan Freedom Front’s political committee has condemned Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada’s order to remove the word “acting” from government titles, calling it “the final bullet to the heart” of those still hoping for engagement with the group.
In a post on X on Friday, Dawood Naji said that for the past four years, some advocates of dialogue saw the “acting” designation as a sign the Taliban might embrace change and eventually agree to an inclusive government. Supporters of the group, he noted, argued the leadership viewed its administration as a temporary arrangement.
“Today, Hibatullah, with a clear and explicit decree, shattered the illusions of those waiting for engagement, showing once again that engagement is nothing but a mirage, and the Taliban will not change,” Naji wrote.
He urged proponents of talks to now “choose between total surrender or full resistance, because there is no third way.”
The announcement came Thursday on the fourth anniversary of the Taliban’s return to power, with Akhundzada declaring that ministers would henceforth be recognised as permanent cabinet members.
