The Taliban’s supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, declared on Sunday that Western laws have no place in Afghanistan, reaffirming the group’s strict adherence to Islamic governance.
Speaking at the Eidgah Mosque in Kandahar during a sermon for Eid al-Fitr, Akhundzada asserted that democracy is dead in Afghanistan, stating that sharia law is fully in effect.
The 50-minute audio recording of his speech was shared online by the Taliban’s chief spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid.
“There is no need for laws that originate from the West. We will create our own laws,” Akhundzada stated in Pashto, emphasizing Afghanistan’s commitment to Islamic jurisprudence.
Since the Taliban’s takeover in 2021, the group’s interpretation of sharia has led to the exclusion of women and girls from education and the workforce, as well as restrictions on their presence in public spaces.
These policies have isolated Afghanistan internationally, though the Taliban has established ties with countries such as China and the UAE.
Akhundzada also criticized the West, claiming that non-believers were united against Muslims, citing the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza as an example of Western hostility toward Islam.
Despite internal tensions within the Taliban’s leadership over engagement with the international community, the group has recently increased diplomatic interactions with the U.S. under President Donald Trump, particularly in prisoner exchanges.
However, the Taliban remains firmly opposed to Western-style governance, further deepening Afghanistan’s diplomatic isolation.
