Taliban Reshuffles Senior Leadership Amid Ongoing Internal Changes
The Taliban leadership has undergone another significant reshuffle, with six senior officials reassigned across military and provincial posts. These appointments were announced verbally by Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban spokesperson and a close aide to the group’s leader. No official documents with signatures or stamps have been released to confirm the changes.
According to Mujahid, Qari Ayub Khalid, previously the governor of Badakhshan, has been appointed as the commander of the 215 Al-Azm Army Corps. Mullah Sharafuddin Taqi, the former commander of this corps, will now lead the 217 Omari Army Corps. Meanwhile, Mullah Amanuddin Mansoor, who previously headed the 217 Omari Corps, has been named governor of Helmand province.
In further reshuffles, Mawlawi Mohammad Ismail has moved from the deputy role at the Ministry of Borders to become governor of Badakhshan. Mawlawi Abdul Rahman Kandahari, formerly governor of Helmand, has been transferred to govern Uruzgan province, while Mawlawi Enayatullah Shoja, the previous governor of Uruzgan, is now assigned as deputy for border affairs review at the Ministry of Borders.
These appointments further reflect the Taliban’s exclusive and opaque administrative structure, which is shaped by personal relationships and loyalty to the group rather than transparent governance norms. The reliance on verbal announcements, in the absence of formal documentation, highlights a lack of order and legal procedure in these postings.
Since regaining control of Afghanistan, most key decision-making roles within the Taliban have been dominated by ethnic Pashtun members of the group. Non-Pashtun individuals, when appointed, are generally placed in symbolic positions to create a façade of inclusivity. This approach to power-sharing not only contradicts the principles of transparent and accountable governance but has also deepened mistrust among Afghanistan’s various ethnic communities.
