The anti-Haqqani purge, silently intensified by Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, continues to unfold

Credible sources with verified access, collaborating with Afghanistan Green Trend (AGT), reported that the Taliban’s Security and Purging Commission has re-initiated a review of clearance forms for Taliban security forces in the southeastern provinces of Khost, Paktia, Paktika, Logar, and Ghazni collectively known as the Greater Paktia region. This process, which stalled last year, has now resumed. On the surface, the effort, overseen by Taliban Deputy Provincial Governors, aims to identify and remove individuals whose combat experience is questionable despite holding Taliban credentials, as well as those who secured positions through familial or tribal connections. However, the reality is far more complex. This unsettling initiative underscores deeper tensions within the Taliban, particularly in a region heavily influenced by the Haqqani network. The stated goal of the review is to combat nepotism, retaining only verified fighters and revoking clearances tied to tribal or ethnic favoritism. In truth, it serves as a purge of the Haqqani zone of influence. According to AGT sources within the Taliban system, the purge specifically targets Haqqani recruits, suggesting an attempt to undermine their power amid escalating friction between Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani and Hibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban’s Kandahar-based supreme leader. This pro-Hibatullah internal restructuring coincides with growing unrest within the Taliban’s ranks, fueled by rumors over the past month about Haqqani’s prolonged absence from Kabul. On January 23, Haqqani departed Afghanistan for Saudi Arabia under an UN-approved travel exemption to perform Umrah, with the exemption valid until February 3. Yet, as of today—February 27, he has only briefly appeared at his ministry once, intensifying speculation of a deepening rift between the Ghilji and Durrani factions. Rumors peaked on February 16 when sources claimed that Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada deployed Yarmouk unit troops to Kabul airport to prevent senior officials from fleeing, signaling distrust toward Haqqani and his allies. To date, the most prominent Taliban dissident is Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, who fled Kabul after publicly mocking Hibatullah Akhundzada during a ceremony. The timing of the security review aligns closely with these tensions. In Afghan political discourse, the phrase “treatment abroad” has long been a euphemism for self-imposed exile amid political pressure a concept familiar to Afghans for decades. Currently, several senior Taliban officials are reportedly abroad for “medical treatment,” widely interpreted as a sign of retreat. AGT sources indicate that the purge commission is targeting approximately 120,000 Haqqani appointees, affiliated with Haqqani or his clan, predominantly from the Greater Paktia region.