Amir Haibatullah Akhundzada has unexpectedly dismissed the group’s three most senior officials — Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, Defense Minister Mullah Mohammad Yaqub, and Intelligence Chief Mullah Abdul Haq Wasiq.
At the same time, a partial list of some 4,000 fighters from the so-called “Kabul Unit” was circulated online. This elite force, loyal to the Amir, is seen as decisive in the ongoing power struggle between Taliban factions — Kabulis versus Kandaharis.
The moves come alongside an unusual announcement: all public sector employees in Kabul have been ordered to remain home until Saturday, October 4.
According to Afghan sources, the extraordinary ban was issued because of “unusual events expected between Wednesday and Friday.” Government workers claim the real reason is an internal assessment pointing to the possibility of an American incursion into Bagram Air Base — a scenario that could shatter Taliban control over the capital.
