KABUL – Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada has ordered the removal of the word “acting” from all ministerial titles in a bid to further cement the group’s harsh control over Afghanistan.
The directive came in a statement marking the fourth anniversary of the Taliban takeover, when the group swept into Kabul as U.S. and NATO forces withdrew in August 2021.
Weeks later, the Taliban announced an “interim administration,” held almost entirely by senior Taliban figures and without female and non-Pashtun representation, which has remained in place ever since.
Despite maintaining limited diplomatic relations with a handful of countries, the Taliban regime remains internationally isolated and unrecognized by most governments. Last month, Russia became the first country to formally recognize the Taliban’s rule, a step widely criticized by human rights advocates.
In his anniversary message, Akhundzada, who rules largely from Kandahar and is rarely seen in public, warned that Afghans who fail to show gratitude for Islamic rule would face “severe punishment” from God. He claimed the Taliban had ended “corruption, drugs, theft, robbery, and plunder.”
At a cabinet meeting earlier this week, he said the stability of Taliban rule depended on religious education and obedience to their edicts , ordering more mosque construction and steps to “fortify” what they call the Islamic Emirate.
The anniversary comes amid worsening humanitarian conditions, driven by climate disasters, mass deportations from Iran and Pakistan, and dwindling foreign aid. This year’s celebrations were more subdued than last year’s, with floral displays and sports events replacing military parades.
Women remain excluded from most public life and barred from many event venues. Several women-led movements, both inside Afghanistan and in exile, staged protests to demand stronger international action against the Taliban’s gender-based persecution.
The Purple Saturdays Movement, an Afghan women-led resistance group, held an indoor protest condemning the international community for engaging with the Taliban instead of actively opposing their abuses.
“Diplomatic engagement has signaled tacit approval of the regime’s crimes, normalizing violations of fundamental rights,” the group said.
Similar protests have taken place on past anniversaries of the Taliban’s return to power, with Afghan diaspora communities and allies calling for tougher sanctions, a halt to political engagement, and accountability for human rights violations.
Rights groups and the United Nations continue to denounce the Taliban’s sweeping restrictions on women and girls, while warning that recognition by any country risks legitimizing the regime’s policies.
