Taliban leader says there is no need for Western laws in Afghanistan

Akhundzada on Sunday criticized the West, saying non-believers had united against Muslims and that the U.S. and others were united in their hostility toward Islam, citing the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Democracy had come to an end in Afghanistan and sharia was in effect, he said, adding that supporters of democracy were trying to separate the people from the Taliban government. The Taliban have no credible opposition inside or outside the country, but some senior figures within the administration have criticized the leadership’s decision-making process and concentration of power in Akhundzada’s circle.