Taliban Leader Hibatullah Declares Group Will Not Be Defeated by Force or Air Strikes
Hibatullah Akhundzada, leader of the Taliban administration, stated in a recently released audio recording of the Eid prayer speech in Kandahar that the group will not be defeated by “force” and that even artillery and air strikes are incapable of destroying it. Without naming any specific country, he emphasized the Taliban’s steadfastness against military pressures.
The speech, published by Taliban supporters, mostly focused on implementing what was referred to as “Islamic laws” and on the people’s gratitude for the current situation. The Taliban leader urged the country’s residents to appreciate the existing conditions.
However, in this address, he made no mention of the recent Pakistani attacks on Kabul nor the issue of girls’ education. This silence comes at a time when the right to girls’ education and the security of residential areas remain among the most pressing demands of Afghan citizens.
Experts believe that continuing such vague positions, without clear responses to public concerns, further widens the gap between the Taliban administration and the aspirations of a significant portion of society—especially amid ongoing educational and social restrictions.
