MOSCOW, August 25. /TASS/: Afghanistan’s former President Hamid Karzai, head of the country’s High Council for National Reconciliation Abdullah Abdullah and leader of the Islamic Party Gulbuddin Hekmatyar will join a council to rule Afghanistan that the the Taliban (outlawed in Russia) leadership intends to establish, Afghanistan’s Ariana News TV channel reported on Wednesday.
Right after the Taliban had entered the Afghan capital of Kabul, the three politicians created a coordination council for the peaceful transition of power. They held a series of meetings with Taliban members on the formation of new government agencies, including a cabinet representing the entire Afghan society.
Foreign Policy reported on Monday, citing sources close to the Taliban leadership, that "Taliban leaders will form a 12-man council to rule Afghanistan and will offer some pliant members of the former US-supported government the ministries of their choice as they strive to form an administration that is acceptable to the international community." According to the news outlet, "the three most powerful men in the leadership council will be Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, co-founder of the Taliban; Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, son of the group’s founder, Mullah Mohammad Omar, and the man behind the victorious military strategy; and Khalil Haqqani, a senior figure in the Haqqani network." "This strategy for governing Afghanistan avoids the recreation of such positions as president, or even that of emir," Foreign Policy added.
Taliban fighters swept into Afghanistan’s capital of Kabul on August 15, without encountering any resistance and seized control of the entire city within a few hours. Later, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani stepped down and fled the country. Subsequently, Vice President Amrullah Saleh declared himself caretaker president, calling for armed resistance against the Taliban. Western nations are now evacuating their citizens and diplomatic personnel from Afghanistan.
