Taliban Arrests Co-Founder Mullah Mutasim Agha Jan Amid Internal Strife

In a significant development that underscores growing internal fractures within the Taliban leadership, Afghan authorities have arrested Mullah Mutasim Agha Jan, a co-founder and one of the movement's most senior figures. The arrest, confirmed by an official from Afghanistan’s Ministry of Interior, took place in Kandahar and was reportedly carried out by a special intelligence unit on the orders of Supreme Leader Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada.

Sources indicate that Agha Jan's detention is linked to his initiatives to establish a joint council of Islamic clerics from Afghanistan and Pakistan, an effort perceived as conflicting with the supreme leader’s directives. Furthermore, Agha Jan had been vocal in his criticism of the Taliban’s alleged "hostage diplomacy"—detaining foreign nationals for political and financial leverage—and had pressed for decisive action against the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), whose leadership is believed to operate from Afghan soil under Taliban protection.

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Agha Jan’s detention highlights growing policy divisions within Taliban factions, particularly the influential Kandahar circle’s reluctance to confront the TTP.

This arrest is being widely interpreted by observers as a clear signal of the Taliban’s internal divisions, particularly the influential Kandahar-based leadership's reluctance to confront the TTP. A former Afghan security official, Najib Mohmand, told The Media Line that Agha Jan’s detention "highlights growing policy divisions within Taliban factions, particularly the influential Kandahar circle’s reluctance to confront the TTP." He added that this group maintains close ties with al-Qaeda leaders, who are reportedly residing in Kandahar under the protection of the supreme leader’s special forces.

For Afghanistan, this arrest is more than just an internal Taliban matter; it signifies the ongoing struggle for control and direction within the ruling regime. The Taliban's inability or unwillingness to decisively act against the TTP, while simultaneously cracking down on dissenting voices within its own ranks, raises serious questions about its stability and its commitment to regional security. The international community watches closely, as these internal dynamics directly impact Afghanistan's future and its relationships with its neighbors, especially Pakistan.

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This arrest indicates that the Kandahar group does not want to take action against TTP elements.