Four years into their rule in Afghanistan, the Afghan Taliban regime has reportedly been rocked by internal rifts, with key leaders pitted against each other.

The Taliban declared the war in Afghanistan was over after they took control of the presidential palace in Kabul on August 15, 2021, and the United States withdrew its forces from the war-ravaged country.

However, rifts have emerged within the Afghan Taliban ranks, with Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada warning that internal disagreements could bring them all down.

The BBC, citing an audio leak it obtained, reported that Akhundzada had voiced his concerns over division within the Taliban ranks.

In the leaked clip, purportedly from one of his speeches at a religious seminary in Kandahar in January 2025, Akhundzada can be heard warning that “the emirate will collapse and end” as a result of the ongoing divisions.

The publication, citing insiders, stated that the Afghan Taliban have been divided into two distinct groups: the Kandahar group and another based in the capital Kabul.

The Kandahar group remains loyal to Akhundzada, who is operating from his base in Kandahar, where leaders loyal to him control every aspect of the Afghan society.

The group includes Afghanistan Prime Minister Mohammad Hassan Akhund, Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani and Higher Education Minister Neda Mohammad Nadim.

The group is working towards the Taliban supreme leader’s vision of a strict Emirate that is isolated from the modern world.

The second group, comprising powerful Taliban members, is largely based in Kabul and advocates for engagement with the outside and allows girls and women access to education.

Afghanistan Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Ghani Baradar, Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, and Defence Minister Mohammad Yaqood Mujahid make up the Kabul group.

The BBC, citing a Taliban insider, described the situation as “the Kandahar house versus Kabul”.

According to the publication, the conflict between the two groups became evident in September last year, following the Taliban supreme leader’s directive to suspend internet and mobile phone services.

However, the services were restored three days later without any explanation given by the Afghan Taliban regime.

Citing Taliban insiders, BBC reported that the Kabul group went against Akhundzada’s orders and restored the services, an act described as “nothing short of a rebellion”.

The publication stated that the group restored the services as the move directly threatened officials’ privileges and financial resources.

Meanwhile, the Taliban supreme leader reportedly moved key departments to Kandahar — including distribution of weapons, which had been previously managed by Haqqani and Yaqoob, who are members of the Kabul group.

The group has recently struggled to secure meetings with Akhundzada, with Kabul-based ministers reportedly told to travel to Kandahar only if they receive an official invitation, the report said.

The situation appears contained as of early 2026, though underlying tensions persist.

Afghan Taliban regime spokespersons have downplayed the disagreement as a mere difference of opinion; however, the ideological rift continues through public statements.

Pro-Iran protesters carried posters of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and chanted slogans in the Indian-occupied Ladakh region, as Iran’s leadership tries to quell domestic unrest.

The rally was held under the banner of the Imam Khomeini Memorial Trust, according to a report by The Times of India.

Several processions set off from different parts of Kargil, with large crowds carrying banners of Khamenei and chanting slogans in his support.

The processions converged at the Old Taxi Stand in Kargil, where the main gathering was held, drawing thousands of men and women from across the district, the publication reported.

Protesters raised slogans against the United States and Israel, targeting US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Tehran is seeking to deter US President Donald Trump’s repeated threats to intervene on behalf of anti-government protesters.

Some experts and regional diplomats warn that military intervention could backfire by smothering protests in Iran, fueling an intensified crackdown on those who participated and triggering retaliatory Iranian missile attacks on US bases in the Middle East.

The US is withdrawing some personnel from bases in the Middle East, a US official said on Wednesday, after a senior Iranian official said Tehran had warned neighbours it would hit American bases if Washington strikes.

However, Trump said late Wednesday that killings in Iran’s protests were subsiding and he believed there was no plan for large-scale executions of protesters.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi had also said there was “no plan” by Iran to hang people, when asked about the anti-government protests.

“There is no plan for hanging at all,” the foreign minister told Fox News in an interview on the “Special Report with Bret Baier” show. “Hanging is out of the question,” he said.

• Turkish FM stresses need for broader regional cooperation, trust.
• Says issues could be resolved if nations “be sure of each other”.
• Bloomberg reports Ankara in advanced talks to join defence pact.
  

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Thursday that talks have been held on a possible defence pact with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, but no agreement has been signed.

Responding at a press conference in Istanbul to a question about whether there might be such an alliance, Fidan pointed to what he said was a need for broader regional cooperation and trust, and added that regional issues could be resolved if relevant countries would “be sure of each other”.

His comments follow a Bloomberg report last week that said Ankara was at an “advanced stage of discussions” to join the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement (SMDA) between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

The publication, citing people familiar with the matter, reported that the talks were likely to conclude with a deal.

The SMDA between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia treats an attack on either nation as an act of aggression against both. It was signed on September 17, 2025, during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Saudi Arabia.

The Bloomberg report stated that Turkiye was mulling joining the pact amid concerns over the reliability of the United States, and its increasingly overlapping interests with those of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in South Asia.

Pakistan and Turkiye maintain decades-long defence ties, under which Ankara is building corvette warships for the Pakistan Navy.

Turkiye has also upgraded numerous F-16 fighter jets of the Pakistan Air Force, and also shares its drone technology with Islamabad.

Pakistani officials credit the country’s military success against India in the May 2025 conflict to strengthened defence agreements.

On Wednesday, PM Shehbaz said Pakistan was engaged in discussions with multiple countries on defence agreements, including the sale of its fighter jets.

“After Pakistan won the war last year, the demand for Pakistani fighter jets has increased […] many countries are actively engaged with us to acquire the jets,” the premier said while addressing a meeting of the federal cabinet.

Prior to that, Minister for Defence Production Raza Hayat Haraj told the BBC that Islamabad was in talks with several countries over potential agreements to sell JF-17 Thunder fighter jets.

Pakistan and India went to war in May last year after India launched an unprovoked attack on Pakistan following the attack on tourists in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

New Delhi maintains that the terrorists who killed 26 tourists in IIOJK’s Pahalgam were Pakistanis — an accusation that Islamabad has denied and has also asked India to partake in a neutral investigation.

Pakistan, during the 87-hour conflict, downed its six fighter jets, including three Rafale, and dozens of drones.

The war between the two nuclear-armed nations ended on May 10 with a ceasefire agreement brokered by the United States.