Overview
- The movement is described as split between a Kandahar bloc loyal to Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada and a Kabul-based cohort favoring limited engagement with the outside world.
- Akhundzada’s recorded remarks from early 2025 warn that internal divisions could cause the Islamic Emirate to collapse, and a spokesman has acknowledged the audio while rejecting claims of a split.
- Tensions surfaced in September 2025 when Akhundzada ordered an internet and mobile shutdown that was reversed three days later, reportedly by Kabul officials defying the directive.
- Key functions, including weapons distribution, have been shifted toward Kandahar, and Kabul ministers have faced tighter access to the supreme leader.
- By early 2026, insiders describe the situation as tense but contained, with disputes playing out through statements and policy moves rather than a decisive purge.