It is said that the Taliban’s vision of amnesty, peace and unity, largely promoted by the well-spoken top levels of the group’s leadership, which processed the US “peace agreement” in Doha, is said to be ‘is fracturing internally, causing strong concerns for the already bloody. Wet and volatile Afghanistan.
According to various field sources and former intelligence and military officials, strong divisions between different Taliban factions are becoming increasingly evident, with different groups pledging allegiance to different figures and countries prior to the official transfer of power later. that the US leave in the coming days.
“The situation on the ground is getting worse, the Taliban are increasingly divided and different factions are already holding their own meetings,” a former government source said in Kabul. “It’s obvious [the Taliban] it does not have a unit of command, and this makes us even more afraid of violence ”.
The clan crowd is said to have various ideas on how to deal with the “derived challenges,” which include how to combat the growing threat of ISIS and the resistance of Ahmad Masoud-led forces in Panjshir. The province is the only one that has not fallen under Taliban control.
“There are big power struggles, and different ethnicities and tribes want power,” the insurgents ’source noted. “The Helmandis, for example, are making a big push, claiming that they held out longer and made the utmost sacrifice with all the drone strikes in the United States over the years.”
And while the Taliban are the fronts of power in the besieged country, well-placed sources say it is the typical shadow of the Haqqani network – which has already been designated as responsible for Kabul’s security – that plays a very important role. most important both politically and militarily behind the scenes in all matters related to Afghanistan.
It is said that the group, which the United States designated a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) in 2012, given its incessant attacks and kidnappings of Western forces, civilians and interests, would be content to remain elusive, but still at the forefront of the power. .
The Taliban are not considered an FTO. However, the key component of its agreement with the United States is that it will not allow terrorist groups to thrive and target America and its allies. However, since the creation of Haqqani, which broke away from the CIA-backed Mujahadeen, which defeated the Soviets during the 1980s, the suit has maintained and maintained close ties with al-Qaeda and opted for a stance. similar ideological.
In a radical shift from the chaos surrounding Kabul’s Hamad Karzai International Airport (HKIA) in recent days, the perimeter appeared much calmer on Saturday with the convergence of Haqqani and elite Taliban forces to clear the obstructed streets.
However, a well-placed Afghan smart member noted that it was believed that Haqqani’s loyalists armed with U.S. weapons had moved – or planned to move them immediately – directly within HKIA in preparation for the handover of power. . Another U.S.-based intelligence source also noted that on Friday night there were shootings between Taliban factions near the airport perimeter.
But apart from the divergences in terms of who exercises control and power between the Taliban and the haqqani, there are also emerging fissures within each of these groups.
“Helmandis and Kandaharis are challenging both groups,” said a source in Kabul, deprived of the talks. “The Taliban have tried to calm them down by appointing many to good positions.”
As cracks appear to appear in the power structure, sources claim that the Taliban – who historically emerged from a split in Mujahadeen and are no strangers to internal power struggles – began more than a year ago.
In June 2020, a United Nations control team warned that at least one senior Taliban leader had broken up to create “a new group in opposition to any possible peace deal,” bringing with it several disgruntled members who were unwilling. to adhere to the terms of the United States. for a deal.
Thus, within the mosaic of different types and stripes within the Taliban framework are those who are willing to fulfill the promise of Doha and those who are not. In addition, there are those who have loyalist ties to different countries outside Afghanistan, from Iran and Pakistan to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Syria and beyond.
And exacerbating the complications, it is the ultra-conservative leaders who support a stricter version of Shariah law, as practiced by the Taliban two decades ago and those with a slightly less draconian perspective.
For many who remain within the confronted country and struggle to escape the final window before the U.S. leaves, the growing floods are another reason to believe their lives are at risk. Many perceive amnesty proclamations, even if they are genuine by some of the best Taliban, probably not followed by divergent groups on the ground.
In fact, Afghans have already offered gruesome anecdotes of segmentation in recent days.
“The Taliban have already entered my comrade’s house to search and interrogate,” said an Afghan who previously worked at the presidential palace, whispering in fear Saturday evening. “Now it’s a matter of time.”