The Taliban's reclusive supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada is attending a major gathering of clerics in the Afghan capital, a government spokesman said Friday.
Akhundzada, who has not been filmed or photographed in public since the Taliban returned to power in August, had “entered the assembly hall”, Bilal Karimi tweeted.
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Over 3,000 clerics and elders have gathered in Kabul since Thursday for a three-day meeting to rubber-stamp the Taliban's rule, and Akhundzada's appearance had been rumoured for days — although media are barred from covering the event.
A Taliban source told AFP this week that criticism of the regime would be allowed at the meeting, and thorny issues such as girls' education — which has divided opinion in the movement — would be discussed.
No women are attending the meeting, which comes a week after a powerful earthquake struck the east of the country killing over 1,000 people and leaving tens of thousands homeless.
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Taliban hold gathering of 3,000 Islamic clerics, seek advise on running Afghanistan
