Afghan Taliban reject the media rumours

Afghan Taliban reject the media rumours

KABUL: The Afghan Taliban have rejected the rumours that its Prime Minister Mullah Hasan Akhund was being replaced by his deputy, its spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid tweeted on Thursday.

Earlier media reports had said that the Taliban-led Afghan government has announced changes to its cabinet after a two-day meeting in the southern city of Kandahar.

“There has been no change in the cabinet of the Islamic Emirate," the Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said in the tweet, adding that media reports about the reshuffle of the prime minister were untrue.

The rumours of Akhund being replaced emerged after China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi, for the first time since the Taliban takeover, arrived in Kabul unannounced on Thursday morning link.

Releasing the details of the three-day meeting in Kandahar, Mujahid said that his emir had issued instructions to maintain order, adding that the meeting had also assigned responsibilities for economic improvement to the Economic Commission headed by Mullah Baradar.

Akhund was appointed as new head of state of the Taliban-led government in September last year. He hails from Kandahar and is also said to be one of the founders of the movement.