While everyone was surprised at the closure of girls' secondary schools in Afghanistan on the first day, there are indications that the Taliban leadership is divided into two distinct groups on this important issue.
According to the international news agency AFP, a senior Taliban official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that when the girls' secondary schools reopened, Taliban leader Mullah Habibullah Akhundzada himself intervened and closed the schools.
The senior official further revealed that a secret meeting was held in Kandahar after the opening of the girls' secondary school in which Supreme Leader Habibullah Akhundzada and some other senior personalities including Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Sharia, Minister for Religious Affairs Noor Muhammad Saqib and Deputy Muhammad Khalid Hanafi. Opposed
The Taliban official told AFP that two groups had emerged since the formation of the Taliban government, one conservative and the other civic, and that conservatives had won the round.
Within hours of the girls' secondary schools closing, rumors were circulating that Mullah Hassan Akhundzada, the prime minister of the Taliban government, was being removed from office, but Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid denied this.
Earlier, Afghan affairs experts also claimed that the Taliban leadership was divided into two distinct groups regarding girls' education. In this power struggle, the people are losing out.
International powers have also expressed concern over the decision to close girls' secondary schools.
It should be noted that the international powers had made it clear to the Taliban leadership that in order to recognize their government, they must ensure the education of girls, return of women to jobs and inclusion of all nationalities in the cabinet.
