Leadership Council of Afghanistan

The council is the supreme governing body of the Taliban and the Government of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. It functions under a consensus decision-making model, and is chaired by the supreme leader. The Leadership Council appoints the supreme leader in the event of a vacancy. Under the first supreme leader, Mullah Omar, the role of the council was purely advisory, but an agreement to rule by consensus was formed upon the contentious appointment of Akhtar Mansour as the second supreme leader. However, the supreme leader may still override or circumvent the council at any time—the consensus model is merely a convention.{{cite news |last1=Khan |first1=Tahir |last2=Ayesha |first2=Tanzeem |title=Taliban Close to Formation of Cabinet, Announcement of New Government |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/us-afghanistan-troop-withdrawal_taliban-close-formation-cabinet-announcement-new-government/6210116.html |access-date=16 June 2022 |work=Voice of America |date=29 August 2021}}{{cite web |title=Three-day meeting of the Leadership Council of Islamic Emirate headed by esteemed Amir-ul-mumineen held in Kandahar |url=https://alemarahenglish.af/?p=48355 |website=Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan |access-date=16 June 2022 |date=31 August 2021}}{{cite news |last1=Ahmad |first1=Jibran |title=Afghan Taliban says leadership dispute resolved |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/cnews-us-afghanistan-taliban-idCAKCN0RG1G620150916 |access-date=16 June 2022 |work=Reuters |date=16 September 2015 |location=Peshawar, Pakistan}}{{cite news |last1=Burke |first1=Jason |title=The Taliban leaders in line to become de facto rulers of Afghanistan |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/aug/17/the-taliban-leaders-in-line-to-become-de-facto-rulers-of-afghanistan |access-date=16 June 2022 |work=The Guardian |date=17 August 2021}}{{cite news |last1=Ramachandran |first1=Sudha |title=What Role Will the Taliban's 'Supreme Leader' Play in the New Government? |url=https://thediplomat.com/2021/09/what-role-will-the-talibans-supreme-leader-play-in-the-new-government/ |access-date=16 June 2022 |work=The Diplomat |date=10 September 2021}}{{cite journal |last1=Jones |first1=Seth G. |title=Afghanistan's Future Emirate? The Taliban and the Struggle for Afghanistan |journal=CTC Sentinel |date=December 2020 |volume=13 |issue=11 |url=https://ctc.usma.edu/afghanistans-future-emirate-the-taliban-and-the-struggle-for-afghanistan/ |access-date=16 June 2022 |publisher=Combating Terrorism Center |archive-date=11 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220211092128/https://ctc.usma.edu/afghanistans-future-emirate-the-taliban-and-the-struggle-for-afghanistan/ |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |last1=Sayed |first1=Adbul |title=Analysis: How Are the Taliban Organized? |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/us-afghanistan-troop-withdrawal_analysis-how-are-taliban-organized/6219266.html |access-date=16 June 2022 |work=Voice of America |date=8 September 2021}}

There are approximately 30 members. The following bodies make up the Leadership Council:

• Border Commission
• Commission for Agriculture, Livestock, Ushr and Zakat
• Commission for Cultural Affairs
• Commission for Financial Affairs
• Commission for Preaching and Guidance, Recruitment and Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice
• Commission for Prevention of Civilian Casualties and Complaints
• Commission for Prisoners’ Affairs
• Commission for Training, Learning and Higher Education
• Commission of Military Affairs
• Department for the Affairs of Needy, Orphans and Disabled
• Department of Power Distribution
• Economic Commission
• Guidance and Invitation Commission
• Health Commission
• Institutional Commission
• Intelligence Commission
• Leadership Office
• Mining Commission
• Political Office (formerly Commission for Political Affairs)

After the United States invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 and the end of the Taliban government, ten men who had held positions in the government formed a Council of Leaders (Rahbari Shura) in May 2002.{{cite news |title=Analysis: How Are the Taliban Organized? |first=Abdul |last=Sayed |date=8 September 2021 |url= https://www.voanews.com/a/us-afghanistan-troop-withdrawal_analysis-how-are-taliban-organized/6219266.html |newspaper=Voice of America |access-date=8 September 2021}} They consisted of eight veteran high ranking (i.e. elite) commanders originally from the southern area of Afghanistan, another hailing from Paktika, and another from Paktia. The Shura was subsequently increased in number, during March 2003, to 33 individuals. During October 2006, the Consultative Council (majlis al-shura) was formed, comprising a number of advisors to 13 core members.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9fQ3AwAAQBAJ&pg=PA1043 |author=American Foreign Policy Council|title=The World Almanac of Islamism: 2014 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |date=30 Jan 2014 |isbn=978-1442231443}}

{{main|Taliban insurgency}}

According to retired General of the United States Army Stanley A. McChrystal, the Quetta Shura was directing the Afghani Taliban insurgency.{{cite web |url=https://iar-gwu.org/2009/11/24/the-quetta-shura-taliban-an-overlooked-problem/ |title=The Quetta Shura Taliban: An Overlooked Problem |first=James |last=Mazol |date=23 November 2009 |work=International Affairs Review |publisher= |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200807015302/https://iar-gwu.org/2009/11/24/the-quetta-shura-taliban-an-overlooked-problem/ |archive-date=7 August 2020}} In a report to President Obama in 2009, he stated that it posed the greatest threat to his troops. He said, "Afghanistan's insurgency is clearly supported from Pakistan. The Quetta Shura conducts a formal campaign review each winter, after which Omar announces his guidance and intent for the following year." Americans wanted to extend the drone strikes into Balochistan.[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/dec/21/us-taliban-balochistan-strategy-pakistan Strategic Balochistan becomes a target in war against Taliban], The Guardian, 2009-12-21

In September 2009 US ambassador to Pakistan Anne W. Patterson said, "In the past, we focussed on Al-Qaeda because they were a threat to us. The Quetta Shura mattered less to us because we had no troops in the region, now our troops are there on the other side of the border, and the Quetta Shura is high on Washington’s list."[http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/world/11-patterson-says-quetta-shura-high-on-us-list--il--09 Patterson says Quetta Shura high on US list] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091208075023/http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/world/11-patterson-says-quetta-shura-high-on-us-list--il--09 |date=8 December 2009 }}, Dawn, 2009-09-30

The Taliban leaders raise money from wealthy Persian gulf donors and direct operations in south Afghanistan.[https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/10/world/asia/10quetta.html Taliban Haven in Pakistani City Raises Fears], The New York Times, 2009-02-09 According to Lt. Gen. David Barno, the retired former commander of American forces in Afghanistan "The Quetta Shura is extremely important, they are the intellectual and ideological underpinnings of the Taliban insurgency."

American officials believe that the Quetta Shura gets support from parts of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), as some of its senior officials believe that leaders such as Omar would be valuable assets if the Taliban were to regain power after a withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan.[https://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/24/world/asia/24military.html Taliban Widen Afghan Attacks From Base in Pakistan], The New York Times, 2009-09-24

According to Abdul Rahim Mandokhel, a Pakistani senator from Zhob in northern Balochistan. "The whole war in Afghanistan is being launched from here," he said. He accused Pakistan's intelligence agencies of carrying out a "double" policy. "One thing is clear: the area is being used for cross-border offences," he said.

A report by the London School of Economics (LSE) claimed to provide the most concrete evidence yet that the ISI is providing funding, training and sanctuary to the Taliban insurgency on a scale much larger than previously thought. The report's author Matt Waldman spoke to nine Taliban field commanders in Afghanistan and concluded that Pakistan's relationship with the insurgents ran far deeper than previously realised. Some of those interviewed suggested that the organization even attended meetings of the Taliban's supreme council, the Quetta Shura.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/south_asia/10302946.stm|title=BBC News - Pakistani agents 'funding and training Afghan Taliban'|work=BBC News|date=13 June 2010|access-date=15 February 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/afghanistan/article7149089.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110512184639/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/afghanistan/article7149089.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 May 2011|title=Login|access-date=15 February 2015}}{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE65C06620100613|title=Report says Pakistan meddling in Afghanistan|work=Reuters|date=13 June 2010|access-date=15 February 2015|last1=Burch|first1=Jonathon}} A spokesman for the Pakistani military dismissed the report, describing it as "malicious".{{cite web|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/06/13/afghanistan.taliban.isi/|title=Pakistan dismisses report of continued Taliban ties|access-date=15 February 2015}}{{cite news|url=http://www.rferl.org/content/Pakistan_Denies_Supporting_Taliban/2070224.html|title=Pakistan Denies Supporting Taliban|work=RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty|access-date=15 February 2015}}"Pakistan's intelligence agency said to support Taliban"

American and western officials have long complained that Pakistan has ignored the presence of senior Taliban leadership in Quetta and done little to address this situation.[http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/pakistan/cantt-quetta.htm Quetta Cantonment], GlobalSecurity.org Pakistani authorities have denied the existence of such an organization in Pakistan.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7601748.stm The Afghan-Pakistan militant nexus], BBC, 2009-12-01 However, statements by US officials have led to fears that US would launch drone strikes on Quetta.[http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/provinces/04-fear-grows-of-us-strikes-balochistan-qs-13 Fear grows of US strikes in Balochistan] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091015013352/http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/provinces/04-fear-grows-of-us-strikes-balochistan-qs-13 |date=15 October 2009 }}, Dawn, 2009-10-12 Jehan Zeb Jamaldini, senior vice president of Balochistan National Party was quoted as saying that Omar and his 2nd and 3rd tier leadership were around Quetta and would be targeted by the US.Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan rejected the allegations of having Quetta Shura in Pakistan. He said these are just baseless allegations by our enemies. He added that Pakistan is not spokesperson for Taliban. If anyone has queries ask the Taliban directly.{{Cite web|last=Abbasi|first=Zaheer|date=2021-07-30|title='Pakistan not a spokesman for Taliban,' says PM|url=https://www.brecorder.com/news/40110079|access-date=2021-07-30|website=Brecorder|language=en}}

In December 2009 Pakistani government for the first time acknowledged the existence of Quetta Shura. The Defence minister of Pakistan, Ahmad Mukhtar acknowledged the presence of Quetta Shura but stated that security forces had damaged it to such an extent that it no longer posed a threat.[http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/04-quetta-shura-ahmad-mukhtar-qs-04 Quetta shura no longer poses threat: Ahmad Mukhtar] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091214024627/http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/04-quetta-shura-ahmad-mukhtar-qs-04 |date=14 December 2009 }}, Dawn, 2009-12-11

On 23 November 2012, when Pakistan released nine senior Taliban leaders, commentator Ali K. Chishti described a statement from the Pakistani government as its first acknowledgment of the existence of the Quetta Shura.

{{cite news

| url = http://www.thefridaytimes.com/beta3/tft/article.php?issue=20121123&page=3

| title = Change of heart?

| publisher = The Friday Times

| author = Ali K. Chishti

| date = 2012-11-24

| access-date = 2012-11-28

| archive-date = 2013-02-04

| archive-url = https://archive.today/20130204020247/http://www.thefridaytimes.com/beta3/tft/article.php?issue=20121123&page=3

| url-status = live

| quote = Pakistan acknowledged the existence of a Quetta Shura in a statement by Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar after repeated denials in December 2009.

}}

In February 2010, in a possible change in Pakistani policy, several members of the Quetta Shura were detained at various locations in Pakistan.

Top Taliban leader Abdul Ghani Baradar, who ran the Shura, was captured in Karachi in a joint operation by Inter-Services Intelligence and Central Intelligence Agency.[https://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/16/world/asia/16intel.html Secret Joint Raid Captures Taliban’s Top Commander], The New York Times, 2010-02-15 He had reportedly gone to Karachi to meet other Shura leaders who had moved to this city in recent months.[https://web.archive.org/web/20110604203617/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article7029075.ece Profile: Mullah Baradar - father of the roadside IED], The Times, 2010-02-16 A few days later two more members of the Quetta Shura, Abdul Kabir and Mohammed Yunis, the Taliban’s shadow governor of Zabul Province, were detained by Pakistani intelligence.[https://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/23/world/asia/23islamabad.html Pakistani Reports Capture of Taliban Leader], The New York Times, 2010-02-22

They will be handed over to Kabul if they have not committed crimes in Pakistan.

{{cite news

| title = Pakistan to hand over Taliban No. 2, says Afghanistan

| url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/25/AR2010022501119.html

| newspaper = Washington Post

| author = Karin Brulliard

| date = 25 February 2010}}

Analysts were split on the question of why Pakistan moved against these key leaders. Many said that Pakistan had decided it wanted to control any negotiations between the Taliban and the Afghan government.{{cite news |url= http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/25/world/asia/25intel.html?hp=&pagewanted=all |title= CIA and Pakistan work together, but do so warily |newspaper = New York Times |date= 24 Feb 2010 |author= Mark Mazzetti and Jane Perlez |quote=Washington and Kabul hint that the ISI’s goal seems to be to weaken the Taliban just enough to bring them to the negotiating table, but leaving them strong enough to represent Pakistani interests in a future Afghan government.}}

"There has been a change in Pakistan's attitude," said Pakistani author Ahmed Rashid. "Pakistan now wants to dominate any kind of dialogue that takes place."

{{cite news

| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8521823.stm

| title = Pakistan's push for new role in Afghanistan

| publisher = BBC News

| author = Lyse Doucet

| date = 19 Feb 2010

}} However, according to The News International, the Pakistani establishment, in a major policy shift, had decided not to support the Shura and had arrested 9 of the 18 key members within a period of 2 weeks. The policy shift was made after pressure from the US as well as a request from the Saudi Royal family[http://thenews.jang.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=27544 Pakistan wipes out half of Quetta Shura] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100307224718/http://thenews.jang.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=27544 |date=7 March 2010 }}, The News International, 2010-03-01

In November 2009, it was reported that the British were pushing for talks between the Afghan government and the Shura. 'Major General Richard Barrons said negotiations with the senior echelons of the Afghan Taliban leadership council – the Quetta shura – were being looked at, alongside the reintegration of insurgency fighters into civilian life. In his first interview since arriving in Afghanistan to begin talks with "moderate" Taliban fighters, Barrons said British officials were backing extensive talks between Karzai's government and the Quetta shura, which is led by Omar and is responsible for directing much of the fighting against British forces in Helmand province.'.[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/nov/29/afghanistan-withdrawal-summit-gordon-brown Afghanistan summit to plan for withdrawal], The Guardian, 29 November 2009

Early January 2010, some commanders from the Quetta Shura held secret exploratory talks with Kai Eide to discuss peace terms, as emerged at the end of that month during the International Conference on Afghanistan in London. The Shura had sought a meeting with the United Nations envoy, which took place in Dubai on 8 January 2010. This was the first such meeting between the UN and alleged senior members of the Taliban, suggesting that peace talks had revived since exploratory contacts between emissaries of the Kabul government and the Taliban in Saudi Arabia in 2009 broke down. It was not clear how significant a faction had shown up in Dubai or how serious they were. A western official confirmed that there were indications of splits in the Taliban over the prospect of a settlement.[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/jan/28/taliban-united-nations-afghanistan UN in secret peace talks with Taliban], The Guardian, 28 January 2010[https://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/29/world/asia/30reconcile.html "U.N. Mission Head in Afghanistan Met With Taliban Envoys "], The New York Times, 29 January 2010 Supporters of former presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah predicted that negotiations could fail because the Karzai government was too weak, and other critics warned that trying to buy off insurgents created a "moral hazard" of rewarding combatants who had killed Western troops and local civilians.{{Cite web|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/un-ups-ante-with-secret-taliban-talks/story-e6frg6so-1225824840174|title=UN ups ante with secret Taliban talks}} Taliban sources denied that there had been such a meeting and dismissed them as baseless rumors.{{cite web|url=https://www.voanews.com/a/afghan-taliban-deny-meeting-with-un-83147162/111826.html|title=Afghan Taliban Deny Meeting with UN|work=VOA|date=29 January 2010 |access-date=15 February 2015}}{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60T0NE20100130|title=Afghan Taliban deny meeting U.N. envoy|work=Reuters|date=30 January 2010|access-date=15 February 2015}}{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8488813.stm|title=BBC News - Afghan Taliban deny peace talks with UN's Kai Eide|date=30 January 2010|access-date=15 February 2015}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/30/AR2010013000217.html|title=Afghan Taliban deny meeting with UN|newspaper=The Washington Post }}{{dead link|date=June 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/30/AR2010013000940.html|title=Taliban denies reports that leaders met with U.N. envoy|newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=15 February 2015}}

The Taliban's Quetta Shura is the main leadership among Afghanistan's Taliban.{{cite news| url=http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=27544| title=Pakistan wipes out half of Quetta Shura

|publisher=The News International|date=2010-03-01|author=Amir Mir|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121209021508/http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=27544|archive-date=2012-12-09

|quote=According to well-informed diplomatic circles in Islamabad, the decision-makers in the powerful Pakistani establishment seem to have concluded in view of the ever-growing nexus between the Pakistani and the Afghan Taliban that they are now one and the same and the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Quetta Shura Taliban (QST) could no more be treated as two separate Jihadi entities.

}}

According to The News International, Pakistani security officials had previously regarded Afghanistan's Taliban, the Quetta Shura, and Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan as three separate entities. They reported that Pakistani security officials had changed their policy in early 2010, and had decided to treat all three organizations as one organization, and to crack down on the Quetta Shura. The reported nine of its eighteen leaders were captured in late February and early March 2010.{{fact|date=June 2024}}

In August 2019, some Taliban leaders, including Hafiz Ahmadullah, the brother of Taliban emir Hibatullah Akhunzada, were killed in a bomb blast at the Khair Ul Madarais mosque, which had served as the main meeting place of the Taliban, on the outskirts of Quetta.{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/08/brother-afghan-taliban-leader-killed-pakistan-mosque-blast-190816143737376.html|title=Brother of Afghan Taliban leader killed in Pakistan mosque blast|website=www.aljazeera.com}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/08/16/family-taliban-leader-killed-assassination-attempt-eve-historic/|title=Family of Taliban leader killed in 'assassination attempt' on eve of historic US peace deal|first1=Ben|last1=Farmer|first2=Saleem|last2=Mehsud|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=16 August 2019|via=www.telegraph.co.uk}}

On 29 May 2020, it was reported that Omar's son Yaqoob was now acting as leader of the Taliban after numerous Quetta Shura members where infected with COVID-19.{{Cite web|url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/05/29/taliban-leadership-disarray-coronavirus-covid-peace-talks/|title = Taliban Leadership in Disarray on Verge of Peace Talks| date=14 March 2024 }} It was previously confirmed on 7 May 2020 that Yaqoob had become head of the Taliban military commission, making him the insurgents' military chief.Ben Farmer (7 May 2020), [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/05/07/taliban-founders-son-appointed-military-chief-insurgents/ "Taliban founder's son appointed military chief of insurgents"], The Telegraph. Retrieved 7 June 2020. Among those infected in the Quetta Shura, which continued to hold in-person meetings, were Hibatullah and Sirajuddin Haqqani.

According to U.S. intelligence, the "Inner Shura" of the First Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan was originally a collective leadership body, but gradually lost power as over the course of the Taliban's first year in government as Mullah Omar developed a cult of personality. It had 23 members. Mohammad Ghous was reportedly a member. It was based in Kandahar. Also known as the Supreme Council, it was chaired by Omar.{{cite web |title=Afghanistan: Taliban Decision-Making and Leadership Structure |url=https://nsarchive2.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSAEBB295/doc08.pdf |website=National Security Archive |publisher=George Washington University |access-date=17 June 2022}}{{cite web |author1=Mapping Militant Organizations |title=Afghan Taliban |url=https://cisac.fsi.stanford.edu/mappingmilitants/profiles/afghan-taliban#highlight_text_8581 |publisher=Stanford University |access-date=17 June 2022 |date=June 2018}}{{cite web |title=2001 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices – Afghanistan |url=https://www.justice.gov/file/251581/download |publisher=Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor |access-date=17 June 2022 |date=4 March 2002}}

• War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
• International Security Assistance Force
• Haqqani network
• Consultative Assembly of Saudi Arabia
• Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran
• Consultative Assembly of Qatar

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Category:2002 establishments in Pakistan

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