Cracks emerge within Taliban as Baradar-led group raises concerns over Sirajuddin's pro-Pashtun stance

Kabul [Afghanistan], February 15 : The Taliban's seizure of the power in Kabul could have been easy but retaining the power is far more challenging than the Afghan groups thought as an inter-faction rivalry is reemerging in the Taliban, underlining its influence over Afghanistan's northern provinces as Mullah Baradar-led Kandahar group has expressed reservations regarding Interior Minister and leader of the Haqqani Network (HQN) Sirajuddin Haqqani's conservative approach and overt pro-Pashtun stance in the ruling, according to a media report.
The differences between the Baradar and Haqqani factions could lead to depletion in Taliban ranks, particularly in provinces dominated by non-Pashtun ethnic groups.
Notwithstanding the fact that one of the factors behind the swift Taliban takeover of Afghanistan was its success in enrolling non-Pashtun cadres under its banner, thereby broadening its appeal beyond the majority Pashtun community, the Taliban are now facing a challenging situation in managing the aspirations of minority ethnic groups within their ranks.
The scenario is growing particularly acute in northern provinces, which are dominated by non-Pashtun ethnic groups. In December last year, sporadic incidents of Tajik and Uzbek Taliban fighters attempting to disarm Pashtun cadres, while accusing them of having links with Da'esh (ISIS) were reported in the north, reported The Times of Israel.
Last month on January 13, street protests erupted in Maimanah City of Faryab following the arrest of senior Uzbek Taliban Commander Makhdoom Alam Rabbani, highlighting simmering tensions among the Pashtun and non-Pashtun Taliban commanders/fighters, particularly in the northern provinces of Afghanistan.
The Uzbek Commander is known to have influence in Faryab, Jowzjan, Sar-e-Pul and Samangan provinces. The demonstrations quickly acquired ethnic overtones with protesters airing grievances over the dominance of Pashtuns in the Taliban regime, said The Times of Israel.
Makhdoom Alam was being investigated following intelligence inputs indicating his involvement in kidnappings, said the Taliban, adding that he was hiding a cache of arms and ammunition including more than 300 assault rifles and RPGs.
Sirajuddin Haqqani announced that Makhdoom Alam would not be released and subsequent detention of Tajik Taliban Commander Qari Wakil on January 14 further complicated the situation, with Uzbek and Tajik Taliban fighters attempting to disarm the Pashtun fighters, said the report.
The Taliban's leadership had to send reinforcements including armoured vehicles, Special Forces ('Badri' unit) and more than 300 men including suicide attackers from the 'Mansoori' Brigade to bring the situation under control.
The leadership somehow controlled the situation successfully but the sense of betrayal amongst the non-Pashtun locals in the north remains palpable.
Given the regime's failure in establishing an inclusive government, the nascent resistance led by Ahmad Massoud could attempt to exploit emerging ethnic fissures in order to pose a credible challenge to Kabul, said the Israeli publication.
The Taliban's ability to deal with the challenges emerging in the northern provinces remains questionable as
The Taliban regime's ability to effectively deal with the emerging situation in northern provinces remains questionable as they are yet to get past continuing intra-Pashtun power struggle.
According to The Times of Israel, albeit these fault lines are unlikely to impair the regime's ability to govern in the short term, they could potentially become a source of fragmentation and instability in future for Afghanistan. Meanwhile, the Taliban administration is busy globetrotting trying to get funds and assistance from the west. Will the Taliban survive the harsh Afghan winter as a united group, is what remains to be seen.