KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Taliban Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada said in his Eid al-Fitr speech that the group cannot be defeated by “bombs and aircraft,” arguing that their strength comes from faith, unity, and brotherhood rather than military power.
In a 42-minute audio recording attributed to Akhundzada and released by the Taliban, he said, “If we could be defeated by cannons or planes, the Americans and Soviets would have done so long ago.”
“We will not be defeated by force,” he said. “Even if we are bombed or attacked, our strength does not come from weapons or aircraft, but from faith, unity, and brotherhood.”
The speech came three days after a Pakistani airstrike on a drug rehabilitation center in Kabul, which the Taliban claimed killed 400 people and wounded 250 others. Akhundzada made no mention of the incident and remained silent on the nearly three-week conflict with Pakistan that the United Nations says resulted in at least 289 civilian casualties, including 76 deaths.
Instead, Akhundzada focused on enforcing Islamic law, urging loyalty to the Taliban system, and emphasizing unity, faith, and religious values. He encouraged worshippers to preserve their religion, saying, “If you protect your religion and faith, I guarantee that even if the whole world unites against you, it cannot harm you or change your system.”
The Taliban leader also called for expanding religious education for children, urging communities to establish learning spaces where needed. “People should establish educational circles and ensure their children receive proper instruction,” he said. He made no mention of the ongoing ban on education for women and girls, which has remained in effect for more than four years.
Akhundzada defended the group’s policies, insisting that all laws and rulings are derived from Islamic texts and Sharia. He called on the public to be grateful for the Taliban’s system and security and to follow his orders and laws.
He also dismissed international criticism, particularly regarding human rights and women’s rights, saying such concerns were being used to sow division. “Enemies try to create divisions among you,” he said. “They raise issues like human rights and women’s rights, claiming rights are being violated. We have done nothing wrong.”
Akhundzada, a hardline cleric from the Pashtun Noorzai tribe, has led the Taliban since 2016 and consolidated power after the group returned to control Afghanistan in August 2021. Based in Kandahar, largely remains out of public view but maintains extensive control over political, military, judicial, and religious affairs, shaping the regime’s hardline policies.
The UN and other international organizations have repeatedly condemned Taliban policies, particularly those affecting women and girls, as violations of international human rights. In July 2025, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada and chief justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani over alleged crimes against humanity, including gender-based persecution.
