Leadership Council of Afghanistan

Advisory council to the supreme leader of Afghanistan

Leadership Council

رهبری شُورَىٰ

Rahbarī Shūrā

Flag of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan

Type
Type|

Unicameral

Term limits

| None
History
Founded|

* 15 August 2021 (2021-08-15) (current form)
* 4 April 1996 (1996-04-04) (originally)[1]

Preceded by| National Assembly
Leadership

Supreme Leader

Hibatullah Akhundzada
since 15 August 2021
In exile from 25 May 2016

First
Deputy

Sirajuddin Haqqani
since 15 August 2021
In exile from 25 May 2016

Second
Deputy

Mullah Yaqoob
since 15 August 2021
In exile from 25 May 2016

Third
Deputy

Abdul Ghani Baradar
since 15 August 2021
In exile from 24 January 2019

Structure
Seats| Approximately 30

Political groups

| Taliban (all seats)
Committees| Commissions

Length of term

| No fixed term
Authority| 1998 dastur

Composition method

| Appointment by the supreme leader
Meeting place
Kandahar

The Leadership Council of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,[2] also translated as the Supreme Council[3] (Pashto: رهبری شُورَىٰ, romanized: Rahbarī Shūrā,[4] also referred to as the Inner Shura),[5][6] is an advisory council to the Supreme Leader of Afghanistan. The supreme leader convenes and chairs the council at his sole discretion. He has ultimate authority and may override or circumvent it at any time. It played a key role in directing the Taliban insurgency from Quetta, Pakistan, which led to it being informally referred to as the Quetta Shura at the time.

During the Taliban insurgency, a consensus-based decision model was used among members of the Quetta Shura. After the 2021 return to power of the Taliban, Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada centralized power and began to communicate mostly through his three deputies.[7][8] In March 2023, Oxford Analytica reported that he had not convened the Leadership Council for several months, instead consulting the local Kandahar provincial council of clerics for advice.[9]

Politics of Afghanistan

Constitution

* Taliban Islamic Movement
* Loya jirga ("Grand assembly")
* Human rights
* Human Rights Commission
* LGBT rights
* Treatment of women by the Taliban

Government

* Supreme Leader (list)

Hibatullah Akhundzada (decrees)
* Prime Minister

Hasan Akhund (acting)
* Deputy Leader

Sirajuddin Haqqani (first)
Mullah Yaqoob (second)
Abdul Ghani Baradar (third)
* Deputy Prime Minister

Abdul Ghani Baradar (acting, first)
Abdul Salam Hanafi (acting, second)
Abdul Kabir (acting, third)
* Leadership Council
* Cabinet

Judiciary

* Law of Afghanistan
* Supreme Court
* Chief Justice

Abdul Hakim Haqqani
* Deputy chief justices

Mohammad Qasim Rasikh (first)
Sheikh Abdul Malik (second)
* Capital punishment

Law enforcement

* Ministry of Justice

Minister: Abdul Hakim Haqqani (acting)
* Ministry of Interior Affairs

Minister: Sirajuddin Haqqani (acting)
Afghan National Police
* Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice

Minister: Mohammad Khalid (acting)
* Attorney General

Shamsulldin Shariati (acting)

Administrative divisions

* Provinces

Governors
* Districts
* Subdistricts

Elections

* Recent elections

* Presidential: 2014
* 2019

* Parliamentary: 2010
* 2018

* Political parties

Foreign relations

* Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Acting Minister: Amir Khan Muttaqi (trips)
* Ambassadors

* * *

* Diplomatic missions of / in Afghanistan

* * *

* Nationality law
* Passport
* Visa requirements
* Visa policy
* Recognition of the Islamic Emirate
* Afghanistan and the United Nations

Afghanistan portal

* Other countries

* v
* t
* e

## Powers and duties

[edit]

The council is the supreme governing body of the Taliban and the Government of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. It functions under a consensus decision-making model, and is chaired by the supreme leader. The Leadership Council appoints the supreme leader in the event of a vacancy. Under the first supreme leader, Mullah Omar, the role of the council was purely advisory, but an agreement to rule by consensus was formed upon the contentious appointment of Akhtar Mansour as the second supreme leader. However, the supreme leader may still override or circumvent the council at any time—the consensus model is merely a convention.[4][2][10][11][12][13][14]

## Current Shura (2021-present)

[edit]

There are approximately 30 members.[14] The following bodies make up the Leadership Council:

* Border Commission
* Commission for Agriculture, Livestock, Ushr and Zakat
* Commission for Cultural Affairs
* Commission for Financial Affairs
* Commission for Preaching and Guidance, Recruitment and Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice
* Commission for Prevention of Civilian Casualties and Complaints
* Commission for Prisoners’ Affairs
* Commission for Training, Learning and Higher Education
* Commission of Military Affairs
* Department for the Affairs of Needy, Orphans and Disabled
* Department of Power Distribution
* Economic Commission
* Guidance and Invitation Commission
* Health Commission
* Institutional Commission
* Intelligence Commission
* Leadership Office
* Mining Commission
* Political Office (formerly Commission for Political Affairs)

Current membership[4][13] Name | Portfolio | Position(s) held in interim government

|
|

Hibatullah Akhundzada | Supreme Leader
Hasan Akhund |

* Member of the Leadership Council

* Acting Prime Minister (2021–present)

Sirajuddin Haqqani |

* First Deputy Leader

* Acting Interior Minister

Mullah Yaqoob |

* Second Deputy Leader
* Head of the Commission for Military Affairs[15]

* Acting Defense Minister

Abdul Ghani Baradar |

* Third Deputy Leader
* Head of the Economic Commission[16]

* Acting First Deputy Prime Minister

Abdul Salam Hanafi |

* Member of the Leadership Council
* Former Deputy Head of the Political Office

* Acting Second Deputy Prime Minister

Abdul Kabir |

* Head of the Commission for Preaching and Guidance, Recruitment and Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice

* Acting Third Deputy Prime Minister (2021–present)
* Acting Prime Minister pro tempore (May–July 2023)

Abdul Hakim Haqqani |

* Chief Justice

* Acting Justice Minister

Amir Khan Muttaqi |

* Head of the Leadership Office
* Former Head of the Commission for Cultural Affairs

* Acting Foreign Minister

Abdul Manan Omari |

* Member of the Leadership Council
* Former Head of the Commission for Preaching and Guidance, Recruitment and Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice
* Former Head of the Commission for Prevention of Civilian Casualties and Complaints

* Acting Public Works Minister

Noor Mohammad Saqib |

* Member of the Leadership Council
* Former Head of the Commission for Preaching and Guidance, Recruitment and Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice

* Acting Hajj and Religious Affairs Minister

Din Mohammad Hanif |

* Head of the Central Asia Department of the Political Office

* Acting Economy Minister

Abdul Latif Mansur |

* Member of the Leadership Council
* Former Head of the Commission for Agriculture, Livestock, Ushr, and Zakat

* Acting Energy and Water Minister

Norullah Noori |

* Member of the Leadership Council
* Former member of the Political Office

* Acting Borders and Tribal Affairs Minister

Gul Agha Ishakzai |

* Former Head of the Commission for Financial Affairs

* Acting Finance Minister

Abdul Haq Wasiq |

* Member of the Leadership Council

* Acting Director Director of Intelligence

Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai |

* Member of the Leadership Council
* Deputy Head of the Political Office

* Acting Deputy Foreign Minister

Ibrahim Sadr |

* Member of the Leadership Council

* Acting Interior Minister (2021)
* Acting Deputy Interior Minister (2021–present)

Abdul Qayyum Zakir |

* Member of the Leadership Council

* Acting Defense Minister (2021)
* Acting Deputy Defense Minister (2021–present)

Mohammad Fazl |

* Member of the Leadership Council
* Member of the Political Office

* Acting Deputy Defense Minister (2021)

Mohammad Qasim Rasikh |

* Member of the Leadership Council
* Former Head of the Guidance and Invitation Commission

* 1st Deputy Chief Justice of the Supreme Court

Mullah Shirin Akhund |

* Member of the Leadership Council
* Former Deputy Head of the Commission for Military Affairs for the Western Zone
* Former Deputy Head of the Commission of Military Affairs for the Northeastern Zone

* Governor of Kabul (2021)

Taj Mir Jawad |

* Member of the Leadership Council

* Acting Deputy Director of Intelligence

Muhammad Zahid Ahmadzai |

* Member of the Leadership Council

* former First Secretary to Taliban Embassy of Pakistan from 1996 to 2001

Sayyid Abdul Rahman |

* Member of the Leadership Council

| –
Sheikh Sharif |

* Member of the Leadership Council

| –
Faizullah Noorzai Akhtar Mohammed Mira Khan |

* Member of the Leadership Council

| –
Hafiz Abdul Majeed |

* Member of the Leadership Council

| –

## Quetta Shura (2002–2020)

[edit]

After the United States invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 and the end of the Taliban government, ten men who had held positions in the government formed a Council of Leaders (Rahbari Shura) in May 2002.[17] They consisted of eight veteran high ranking (i.e. elite) commanders originally from the southern area of Afghanistan, another hailing from Paktika, and another from Paktia. The Shura was subsequently increased in number, during March 2003, to 33 individuals. During October 2006, the Consultative Council (majlis al-shura) was formed, comprising a number of advisors to 13 core members.[18]

### Directing the insurgency in Afghanistan

[edit]

Main article: Taliban insurgency

According to retired General of the United States Army Stanley A. McChrystal, the Quetta Shura was directing the Afghani Taliban insurgency.[19] In a report to President Obama in 2009, he stated that it posed the greatest threat to his troops. He said, "Afghanistan's insurgency is clearly supported from Pakistan. The Quetta Shura conducts a formal campaign review each winter, after which Omar announces his guidance and intent for the following year." Americans wanted to extend the drone strikes into Balochistan.[20]

In September 2009 US ambassador to Pakistan Anne W. Patterson said, "In the past, we focussed on Al-Qaeda because they were a threat to us. The Quetta Shura mattered less to us because we had no troops in the region, now our troops are there on the other side of the border, and the Quetta Shura is high on Washington’s list."[21]

### Funding from Persian Gulf region

[edit]

The Taliban leaders raise money from wealthy Persian gulf donors and direct operations in south Afghanistan.[22] According to Lt. Gen. David Barno, the retired former commander of American forces in Afghanistan "The Quetta Shura is extremely important, they are the intellectual and ideological underpinnings of the Taliban insurgency."[22]

### Support from Pakistani intelligence

[edit]

American officials believe that the Quetta Shura gets support from parts of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), as some of its senior officials believe that leaders such as Omar would be valuable assets if the Taliban were to regain power after a withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan.[23] According to Abdul Rahim Mandokhel, a Pakistani senator from Zhob in northern Balochistan. "The whole war in Afghanistan is being launched from here," he said. He accused Pakistan's intelligence agencies of carrying out a "double" policy. "One thing is clear: the area is being used for cross-border offences," he said.[20]

A report by the London School of Economics (LSE) claimed to provide the most concrete evidence yet that the ISI is providing funding, training and sanctuary to the Taliban insurgency on a scale much larger than previously thought. The report's author Matt Waldman spoke to nine Taliban field commanders in Afghanistan and concluded that Pakistan's relationship with the insurgents ran far deeper than previously realised. Some of those interviewed suggested that the organization even attended meetings of the Taliban's supreme council, the Quetta Shura.[24][25][26] A spokesman for the Pakistani military dismissed the report, describing it as "malicious".[27][28][29]

### Pakistani relationship

[edit]

#### Statement

[edit]

American and western officials have long complained that Pakistan has ignored the presence of senior Taliban leadership in Quetta and done little to address this situation.[22][30] Pakistani authorities have denied the existence of such an organization in Pakistan.[31] However, statements by US officials have led to fears that US would launch drone strikes on Quetta.[32] Jehan Zeb Jamaldini, senior vice president of Balochistan National Party was quoted as saying that Omar and his 2nd and 3rd tier leadership were around Quetta and would be targeted by the US.[32]Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan rejected the allegations of having Quetta Shura in Pakistan. He said these are just baseless allegations by our enemies. He added that Pakistan is not spokesperson for Taliban. If anyone has queries ask the Taliban directly.[33]

#### Acknowledgement

[edit]

In December 2009 Pakistani government for the first time acknowledged the existence of Quetta Shura. The Defence minister of Pakistan, Ahmad Mukhtar acknowledged the presence of Quetta Shura but stated that security forces had damaged it to such an extent that it no longer posed a threat.[34]

On 23 November 2012, when Pakistan released nine senior Taliban leaders, commentator Ali K. Chishti described a statement from the Pakistani government as its first acknowledgment of the existence of the Quetta Shura.[35]

### Arrests

[edit]

In February 2010, in a possible change in Pakistani policy, several members of the Quetta Shura were detained at various locations in Pakistan. Top Taliban leader Abdul Ghani Baradar, who ran the Shura, was captured in Karachi in a joint operation by Inter-Services Intelligence and Central Intelligence Agency.[36] He had reportedly gone to Karachi to meet other Shura leaders who had moved to this city in recent months.[37] A few days later two more members of the Quetta Shura, Abdul Kabir and Mohammed Yunis, the Taliban’s shadow governor of Zabul Province, were detained by Pakistani intelligence.[38] They will be handed over to Kabul if they have not committed crimes in Pakistan.[39]

Analysts were split on the question of why Pakistan moved against these key leaders. Many said that Pakistan had decided it wanted to control any negotiations between the Taliban and the Afghan government.[40][41] However, according to The News International, the Pakistani establishment, in a major policy shift, had decided not to support the Shura and had arrested 9 of the 18 key members within a period of 2 weeks. The policy shift was made after pressure from the US as well as a request from the Saudi Royal family[42]

### Coalition efforts at negotiations

[edit]

In November 2009, it was reported that the British were pushing for talks between the Afghan government and the Shura. 'Major General Richard Barrons said negotiations with the senior echelons of the Afghan Taliban leadership council – the Quetta shura – were being looked at, alongside the reintegration of insurgency fighters into civilian life. In his first interview since arriving in Afghanistan to begin talks with "moderate" Taliban fighters, Barrons said British officials were backing extensive talks between Karzai's government and the Quetta shura, which is led by Omar and is responsible for directing much of the fighting against British forces in Helmand province.'[43]

Early January 2010, some commanders from the Quetta Shura held secret exploratory talks with Kai Eide to discuss peace terms, as emerged end of that month during the International Conference on Afghanistan in London. The Shura had sought a meeting with the United Nations envoy, which took place in Dubai on 8 January 2010. This was the first such meeting between the UN and alleged senior members of the Taliban, suggesting that peace talks had revived since exploratory contacts between emissaries of the Kabul government and the Taliban in Saudi Arabia in 2009 broke down. It was not clear how significant a faction had showed up in Dubai or how serious they were. A western official confirmed that there were indications of splits in the Taliban over the prospect of a settlement.[44][45] Supporters of former presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah predicted that negotiations could fail because the Karzai government was too weak, and other critics warned that trying to buy off insurgents created a "moral hazard" of rewarding combatants who had killed Western troops and local civilians.[46] Taliban sources denied that there had been such a meeting and dismissed them as baseless rumors.[47][48][49][50][51]

### Leaders

[edit]

The Taliban's Quetta Shura is the main leadership among Afghanistan's Taliban.[52]

According to The News International, Pakistani security officials had previously regarded Afghanistan's Taliban, the Quetta Shura, and Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan as three separate entities. They reported that Pakistani security officials had changed their policy in early 2010, and had decided to treat all three organizations as one organization, and to crack down on the Quetta Shura. The reported nine of its eighteen leaders were captured in late February and early March 2010.[citation needed]

In August 2019, some Taliban leaders, including Hafiz Ahmadullah, the brother of Taliban emir Hibatullah Akhunzada, were killed in a bomb blast at the Khair Ul Madarais mosque, which had served as the main meeting place of the Taliban,[53] on the outskirts of Quetta.[53][54]

On 29 May 2020, it was reported that Omar's son Yaqoob was now acting as leader of the Taliban after numerous Quetta Shura members where infected with COVID-19.[55] It was previously confirmed on 7 May 2020 that Yaqoob had become head of the Taliban military commission, making him the insurgents' military chief.[56] Among those infected in the Quetta Shura, which continued to hold in-person meetings, were Hibatullah and Sirajuddin Haqqani.[55]

### Quetta Shura members

[edit]

Name | Notes

|

Mohammed Omar |

* Founder and Supreme Commander of the Taliban
* Now known to have not been in Quetta
* Death from illness in Afghanistan in 2013 not made public until late July 2015 by the Afghan government and then Taliban officials.

Akhtar Mohammad Mansoor |

* Former Minister for Aviation during the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan[57]
* Believed to have been the "Shadow Governor" for Kandahar Province[58]
* Succeeded Omar as the Supreme Leader of the Taliban[59]
* Confirmed dead in late May 2016.[60]

Hibatullah Akhundzada |

* Chief Justice of the Sharia courts of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.[61]
* Current Supreme Leader of the Taliban[61][62]

Sirajuddin Haqqani |

* Current joint Deputy Leader of the Taliban[63]

Moammad Hassan Akhund |

* Reported to have been "a former foreign minister in the Taliban regime".[52]
* Reported captured in late February 2010.[52]
* Current Prime Minister of the Taliban Government

Rahmatullah Kakazada  |

* Former Consul General During the Taliban's rule in the 1990s, in Karachi, Pakistan.[1]
* After 2001, he played a significant role as a key Taliban member in Ghazni province, responsible for intelligence collection, and, as of 2007, was reportedly responsible for appointing governors in Ghazni province.[2]
* A key member of the Haqqani Network
* Current Director General of Public Relations for the Interior Ministry of Afghanistan and the Haqqani Network.[3]

Abdul Ghani Baradar |

* Reported captured on 11 February 2010.[52]
* Reported to have reorganized the Afghan Taliban's military wing.[52]
* Current First Deputy Prime Minister of the Taliban Government

Abdul Kabir |

* Reported to be the Taliban's "shadow governor of Nangarhar province".[52]
* Reported captured in February 2010 in Nowshera.[52]
* Current Third Deputy Prime Minister of the Taliban Government

Amir Khan Muttaqi |

* Reported to be a "former minister in Taliban regime".[52]
* Current Acting Foreign Minister of the Taliban Government

Abdul Qayyum Zakir |

* Previously held in Guantanamo under the name Abdullah Ghulam Rasoul.[64]
* Reported captured in late February 2010.[52]
* Reported to remain at large, and be a candidate to replace Abdul Ghani Baradar.[64]

Abdul Rauf |

* Reported captured in late February 2010.[52]
* Reported to have been a "former chief operational commander of the Taliban in northeastern Afghanistan".[52]
* Also reported to be a former Guantanamo captive who was just 20 years old when initially captured.[64]

Mir Muhammad |

* Reported to be the Taliban's "shadow governor of Baghlan province".[52]
* Reported captured on 26 January 2010 in Faisalabad.[52]

Abdul Salam |

* Reported to be the Taliban's "shadow governor of Kunduz province".[52]
* Reported captured in late January 2010.[52]

Ahmad Jan Akhundzada |

* Reported to have been a "former governor of Zabul province".[52]
* Reported captured in late February 2010.[52]

Muhammad Younis |

* Reported to be an explosives expert who had served as a Police chief in Kabul during the Taliban rule.[52]
* Reported captured in late February 2010.[52]

Mohammad Hasan Rahmani |

* Former governor of Kandahar province.[52]
* Died of cancer on February 7, 2016

Hafiz Abdul Majeed |

* Reported to be the "former Chief of the Afghan Intelligence" and the "surge commander of the Taliban in southern Afghanistan".[52]

Agha Jan Mutasim |

* Reported to be "the Taliban’s head of political affairs".[52]

Abdul Jalil |

* Reported to be the "head of the Taliban’s shadowy interior ministry".[52]

Abdul Latif Mansoor |

* Reported to be "the commander of the Mansoor Network in Paktika and Khost".[52]

Abdur Razaq Akhundzada |

* Reported to be the former corps commander for northern Afghanistan.[52]

Abdullah Mutmain |

* Reported to be "a former minister during the Taliban regime who currently looks after the financial affairs of the extremist militia".[52]

Agha Jan Motasim |

* Former Taliban Finance Minister.[65][66][67]
* Formerly chair of the political committee, stripped of this position in 2009 following rumors of corruption—may have been forced from the Shura at this time.[65][66][67]

## Inner Shura (1996–2001)

[edit]

According to U.S. intelligence, the "Inner Shura" of the First Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan was originally a collective leadership body, but gradually lost power as over the course of the Taliban's first year in government as Mullah Omar developed a cult of personality. It had 23 members. Mohammad Ghous was reportedly a member. It was based in Kandahar. Also known as the Supreme Council, it was chaired by Omar.[68][1][69]

## See also

[edit]

* War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
* International Security Assistance Force
* Haqqani network
* Consultative Assembly of Saudi Arabia
* Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran
* Consultative Assembly of Qatar

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Mapping Militant Organizations (June 2018). "Afghan Taliban". Stanford University. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
2. ^ a b "Three-day meeting of the Leadership Council of Islamic Emirate headed by esteemed Amir-ul-mumineen held in Kandahar". Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. 31 August 2021. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
3. ^ Chughtai, Alia (7 September 2021). "Who are the men leading the Taliban's new government?". Reuters. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
4. ^ a b c Khan, Tahir; Ayesha, Tanzeem (29 August 2021). "Taliban Close to Formation of Cabinet, Announcement of New Government". Voice of America. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
5. ^ Schmitt, Eric; Mazzetti, Mark (24 September 2009). "Taliban widens Afghan attacks from Pakistan". The New York Times. NBC News. Archived from the original on 17 June 2022. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
6. ^ Jones, Seth G. (6 November 2011). "Why the Haqqani Network is The Wrong Target". Foreign Affairs. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
7. ^ T. S. Tirumurti (26 May 2022). "Letter dated 25 May 2022 from the Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1988 (2011) addressed to the President of the Security Council" (PDF). United Nations Security Council. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
8. ^ Dawi, Akmal (28 March 2023). "Unseen Taliban Leader Wields Godlike Powers in Afghanistan". Voice of America. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
9. ^ Oxford Analytica (10 March 2023). "Senior Afghan Taliban figures move to curb leader". Expert Briefings. Emerald Expert Briefings. doi:10.1108/OXAN-DB276639. "[Akhundzada] has not convened the Taliban's Leadership Council (a 'politburo' of top leaders and commanders) for several months. Instead, he relies on the narrower Kandahar Council of Clerics for legal advice."
10. ^ Ahmad, Jibran (16 September 2015). "Afghan Taliban says leadership dispute resolved". Reuters. Peshawar, Pakistan. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
11. ^ Burke, Jason (17 August 2021). "The Taliban leaders in line to become de facto rulers of Afghanistan". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
12. ^ Ramachandran, Sudha (10 September 2021). "What Role Will the Taliban's 'Supreme Leader' Play in the New Government?". The Diplomat. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
13. ^ a b Jones, Seth G. (December 2020). "Afghanistan's Future Emirate? The Taliban and the Struggle for Afghanistan". CTC Sentinel. 13 (11). Combating Terrorism Center. Archived from the original on 11 February 2022. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
14. ^ a b Sayed, Adbul (8 September 2021). "Analysis: How Are the Taliban Organized?". Voice of America. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
15. ^ Farmer, Ben (7 May 2020). "Taliban founder's son appointed military chief of insurgents". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
16. ^ Lalzoy, Najibullah (6 February 2022). "Plans underway to eliminate poverty and create work opportunities: Baradar". Khaama Press Agency. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
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18. ^ American Foreign Policy Council (30 January 2014). The World Almanac of Islamism: 2014. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-1442231443. `{{cite book}}`: `|author=` has generic name (help)
19. ^ Mazol, James (23 November 2009). "The Quetta Shura Taliban: An Overlooked Problem". International Affairs Review. Archived from the original on 7 August 2020.
20. ^ a b Strategic Balochistan becomes a target in war against Taliban, The Guardian, 2009-12-21
21. ^ Patterson says Quetta Shura high on US list Archived 8 December 2009 at the Wayback Machine, Dawn, 2009-09-30
22. ^ a b c Taliban Haven in Pakistani City Raises Fears, The New York Times, 2009-02-09
23. ^ Taliban Widen Afghan Attacks From Base in Pakistan, The New York Times, 2009-09-24
24. ^ "BBC News - Pakistani agents 'funding and training Afghan Taliban'". BBC News. 13 June 2010. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
25. ^ "Login". Archived from the original on 12 May 2011. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
26. ^ Burch, Jonathon (13 June 2010). "Report says Pakistan meddling in Afghanistan". Reuters. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
27. ^ "Pakistan dismisses report of continued Taliban ties". Retrieved 15 February 2015.
28. ^ "Pakistan Denies Supporting Taliban". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
29. ^ "Pakistan's intelligence agency said to support Taliban"
30. ^ Quetta Cantonment, GlobalSecurity.org
31. ^ The Afghan-Pakistan militant nexus, BBC, 2009-12-01
32. ^ a b Fear grows of US strikes in Balochistan Archived 15 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine, Dawn, 2009-10-12
33. ^ Abbasi, Zaheer (30 July 2021). "'Pakistan not a spokesman for Taliban,' says PM". Brecorder. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
34. ^ Quetta shura no longer poses threat: Ahmad Mukhtar Archived 14 December 2009 at the Wayback Machine, Dawn, 2009-12-11
35. ^ Ali K. Chishti (24 November 2012). "Change of heart?". The Friday Times. Archived from the original on 4 February 2013. Retrieved 28 November 2012. "Pakistan acknowledged the existence of a Quetta Shura in a statement by Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar after repeated denials in December 2009."
36. ^ Secret Joint Raid Captures Taliban’s Top Commander, The New York Times, 2010-02-15
37. ^ Profile: Mullah Baradar - father of the roadside IED, The Times, 2010-02-16
38. ^ Pakistani Reports Capture of Taliban Leader, The New York Times, 2010-02-22
39. ^ Karin Brulliard (25 February 2010). "Pakistan to hand over Taliban No. 2, says Afghanistan". Washington Post.
40. ^ Mark Mazzetti and Jane Perlez (24 February 2010). "CIA and Pakistan work together, but do so warily". New York Times. "Washington and Kabul hint that the ISI's goal seems to be to weaken the Taliban just enough to bring them to the negotiating table, but leaving them strong enough to represent Pakistani interests in a future Afghan government."
41. ^ "There has been a change in Pakistan's attitude," said Pakistani author Ahmed Rashid. "Pakistan now wants to dominate any kind of dialogue that takes place." Lyse Doucet (19 February 2010). "Pakistan's push for new role in Afghanistan". BBC News.
42. ^ Pakistan wipes out half of Quetta Shura Archived 7 March 2010 at the Wayback Machine, The News International, 2010-03-01
43. ^ .Afghanistan summit to plan for withdrawal, The Guardian, 29 November 2009
44. ^ UN in secret peace talks with Taliban, The Guardian, 28 January 2010
45. ^ "U.N. Mission Head in Afghanistan Met With Taliban Envoys ", The New York Times, 29 January 2010
46. ^ "UN ups ante with secret Taliban talks".
47. ^ "Afghan Taliban Deny Meeting with UN". VOA. 29 January 2010. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
48. ^ "Afghan Taliban deny meeting U.N. envoy". Reuters. 30 January 2010. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
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50. ^ "Afghan Taliban deny meeting with UN". The Washington Post.[dead link‍]
51. ^ "Taliban denies reports that leaders met with U.N. envoy". The Washington Post. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
52. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z Amir Mir (1 March 2010). "Pakistan wipes out half of Quetta Shura". The News International. Archived from the original on 9 December 2012. "According to well-informed diplomatic circles in Islamabad, the decision-makers in the powerful Pakistani establishment seem to have concluded in view of the ever-growing nexus between the Pakistani and the Afghan Taliban that they are now one and the same and the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Quetta Shura Taliban (QST) could no more be treated as two separate Jihadi entities."
53. ^ a b "Brother of Afghan Taliban leader killed in Pakistan mosque blast". www.aljazeera.com.
54. ^ Farmer, Ben; Mehsud, Saleem (16 August 2019). "Family of Taliban leader killed in 'assassination attempt' on eve of historic US peace deal". The Telegraph - via www.telegraph.co.uk.
55. ^ a b "Taliban Leadership in Disarray on Verge of Peace Talks". 14 March 2024.
56. ^ Ben Farmer (7 May 2020), "Taliban founder's son appointed military chief of insurgents", The Telegraph. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
57. ^ "The Quetta Shura: Understanding the Afghan Taliban's Leadership". Jamestown. 21 February 2014. Retrieved 18 June 2015.
58. ^ "The Afghan Taliban's top leaders". The Long War Journal. 23 February 2010. Retrieved 18 June 2015.
59. ^ "Taliban Warns ISIS to Stay Out of Afghanistan". NBC. 16 June 2015. Retrieved 18 June 2015.
60. ^ U.S. says late Taliban leader was planning attacks on Americans Reuters, 23 May 2016
61. ^ a b "Afghan Taliban: Haibatullah Akhunzada named new leader". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
62. ^ "Taliban leader Mansoor killed by U.S. drone". USAToday.com. 21 May 2016. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
63. ^ "Taliban resignation points to extent of internal divisions in leadership crisis". The Guardian. 4 August 2015. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
64. ^ a b c Kathy Gannon (4 March 2010). "Former Gitmo detainee said running Afghan battles". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 7 March 2010. "Abdul Qayyum is also seen as a leading candidate to be the next No. 2 in the Afghan Taliban hierarchy, said the officials, interviewed last week by The Associated Press."
65. ^ a b Kathy Gannon (18 May 2012). "Moderate Taliban member speaks of rifts within movement". The Daily Star. Retrieved 20 May 2012. "One of the most powerful men on the Taliban council, Agha Jan Motasim, nearly lost his life in a hail of bullets for advocating a negotiated settlement that would bring a broad-based government to his beleaguered homeland of Afghanistan."
66. ^ a b Sam Yousafzai, Ron Moreau (25 April 2012). "Afghanistan: A Moderate Defies the Taliban". Daily Beast. Archived from the original on 3 February 2013. Retrieved 20 May 2012. "Not so long ago, Agha Jan Motasim was one of the most important men in the Afghan Taliban. That was before he was sacked as head of the ruling Quetta Shura's political committee—and before the day last August when someone pumped him full of bullets and left him for dead on a street in Karachi."`{{cite news}}`: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
67. ^ a b "Afghan biographies: Jan, Motasim Agha". Afghan biographies. 16 May 2012. Retrieved 20 May 2012. mirror
68. ^ "Afghanistan: Taliban Decision-Making and Leadership Structure" (PDF). National Security Archive. George Washington University. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
69. ^ "2001 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices – Afghanistan". Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. 4 March 2002. Retrieved 17 June 2022.

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