Speculation was rife that Afghan Deputy PM died in a shootout
The Taliban co-founder and now Deputy Prime Minister of Afghanistan released an audio statement on Monday saying he was alive and well after news of his supposed demise went viral on social media.
Abdul Ghani Baradar, who was last week named as a number two to Mullah Mohammed Hassan Akhund, blamed “fake propaganda” for the death rumours in an audio message posted by the Taliban.
Taliban spokesperson from Qatar office Suhail Shaheen tweeted: “Mullah Bradar Akhund, Deputy PM, Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, in a voice message rejected all those claims that he was injured or killed in a clash. He said it is a lie and totally baseless.”
Social media has been in a frenzy over the speculation — particularly in India, where rumours swirled that he had been mortally wounded in a shootout between rival Taliban factions at the presidential palace.
“There had been news in the media about my death,” Baradar said in the clip.
“Over the past few nights I have been away on trips. Wherever I am at the moment, we are all fine, all my brothers and friends.
“Media always publish fake propaganda. Therefore, reject bravely all those lies, and I 100 per cent confirm to you there is no issue and we have no problem.”
It was not possible to authenticate the message, but it was posted on official Taliban sites — including that of the spokesman of the political office of the new Government.
The Taliban’s supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, was also rumoured to have died for several years before the group’s spokesman said he was “present in Kandahar” two weeks after they took power.
Chatter in Pakistan and Afghanistan had suggested he had contracted Covid or been killed in a bombing.
Afghanistan news outlets such as TOLO News also tweeted about the audio clip, saying: “Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, deputy Prime Minister of the Taliban Govt, in an audio message confirmed he was alive and said he was not injured. The message, tweeted by Taliban spox Mohammad Naeem, follows reports that Baradar was injured or killed in clashes among the Taliban.”