Politics – Generally “Rare Appearance” for Taliban Leader’s Great Day

Surprise. In Afghanistan, Taliban leader Hibatullah Akundzada delivered a public speech on Eid al-Fitr on Sunday, for the second time in six years, radio-canada.ca reported.

Worshipers were praying at the Itika Mosque in the southern city of Kandahar, which is considered a Taliban stronghold, when a man stood up from the front row and introduced himself as the Taliban’s supreme leader.

He then went on to speak, without turning his back on the crowd, promising that “the victory of the Taliban last August allowed the country to regain independence and security.”

+ “I wish you success” +

Two days after the bombing of a mosque in Kabul, the man, who has never been seen in public, was surrounded by exceptional security measures and an Taliban leader’s entourage prevented journalists from approaching, an AFP reporter said.

“I wish you success, freedom and security. I congratulate you for your security and for the Islamic organization, ”said Hibatullah Akundzada.

Although the number of attacks has dropped significantly since the Taliban came to power last August, there have been a number of attacks in recent days, with some Islamic State (IS) group claiming to have killed dozens of civilians, mainly Shia and Sufi Muslims, most recently, against a mosque in Kabul on Friday, killing at least 10 people. Radio Canada added.

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