KABUL: Hezb-e Islami leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar has directed party members and supporters to sever organisational and other ties with individuals who support or endorse the Taliban and its policies, amid his continued criticism of the group’s rule in Afghanistan.
In a message addressed to what he described as sincere and committed members of Hezb-e Islami, Hekmatyar called on party members to end organisational and other links with anyone supporting or praising the policies of past and present political movements, including the monarchy, the government of Mohammad Daoud Khan, communist groups, Jamiat-e Islami, Shura-e Nazar, the Taliban and other political factions.
He also called on party members who have joined such groups to distance themselves from Hezb-e Islami. “Either stand sincerely with those groups and stop using the name of Hezb-e Islami,” Hekmatyar said, according to the message.
However, according to a Hezb-e Islami member, the message was specifically directed at party members who support the Taliban. The member said some Hezb-e Islami supporters had, for various reasons, backed Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada and the group’s policies.
He interpreted Hekmatyar’s message as requiring such members to choose between their allegiance to Hezb-e Islami and their support for the Taliban. “Either be Taliban or be Hezb-e Islami,” the party member said.
He added that Hezb-e Islami members had not supported Shura-e Nazar or communist movements, saying Hekmatyar’s references to those groups appeared to reflect the party’s broader political position toward various movements.
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The development highlights growing tensions between Hekmatyar and the Taliban, despite the two sides having previously opposed Afghanistan’s former government and the presence of US forces in the country.
Hekmatyar signed a peace agreement with the former Afghan government after years of armed opposition. Following the Taliban’s return to power, however, some Hezb-e Islami members joined the Taliban, while several prominent Taliban figures have backgrounds in Hezb-e Islami.
Call for elections to determine Afghanistan’s future government
Hekmatyar has repeatedly criticised Taliban policies in recent years, particularly what he describes as the concentration of power, restrictions on citizens and the group’s system of governance. He has also called for elections to determine Afghanistan’s future government.
The Taliban has revoked the licences of political parties and prohibited political activities by citizens and political leaders. After facing increased restrictions from the Taliban, Hekmatyar left Afghanistan and has been living in Malaysia in recent months.
