In Afghanistan, the Taliban killed one of their ex-leaders. Mawlawi Mahdi was shot while trying to escape near the border with Iran, the defense ministry in Kabul said on Wednesday. A few years ago, Mahdi became the first Taliban commander to belong to the Shia Hazara minority.
Mahdi was seen as proof that the radical Islamic Taliban wanted to open up to minorities.
Taliban now include members of other ethnic groups
The Taliban are Sunnis. They are recruited almost exclusively from the Pashtun ethnic group. Recently, the Taliban have attempted to incorporate members of other ethnic groups and Shiites into their power structure. The Hazara, whose settlement area is primarily the central mountains in Afghanistan, are the largest Shia ethnic group in the country.
After the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan last year and formed a government, Mahdi was given the position of chief of intelligence in a central province.
Mahdi revolted against Taliban leadership
The defense ministry has now described Mahdi as the rebel leader in a district in northern Sar-e Pol province. A Taliban official told Reuters that Mahdi had rebelled against the Taliban leadership.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
