Rift to the fore as Baradar flees to Kandahar after spat with Haqqani

New Delhi, September 15

A major row broke out between leaders of the Taliban over the make-up of the group’s new government in Afghanistan last week, BBC reported.

The argument between the group’s co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and a cabinet member took place at the presidential palace. There have been unconfirmed reports of disagreements within the Taliban’s leadership since Baradar disappeared from public view in recent days.

One Taliban source told BBC Pashto that Baradar and Khalil ur-Rahman Haqqani — the minister for refugees and a prominent figure within the militant Haqqani network — had exchanged strong words,. Sources said Baradar had left Kabul and travelled to Kandahar following the row. The argument had broken out because Baradar, the new deputy PM, was unhappy with the structure of their interim government. — IANS