According to a new decree attributed to the Taliban leader, the Ministries of Defence, Interior and the General Directorate of Intelligence have been stripped of the authority to distribute weapons, ammunition and military equipment.
According to the decree, only the Taliban leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, can decide on the distribution of military equipment.
A copy of the decree has been obtained by Afghanistan International, the first article of which states that no one except Hibatullah Akhundzada can distribute military equipment registered in the depots of the Ministries of Interior and Defence and the General Directorate of Intelligence.
According to the second article of the decree, whenever a Taliban organisation needs military equipment, it must send its request to Hibatullah Akhundzada's office in Kandahar.
In Article 3, Hibatullah Akhundzada has entrusted the Ministries of Defence and Interior and the General Directorate of Intelligence to report the list of military equipment in their possession to the Office of Verification, Registration, and Oversight.
The Office of Verification, Registration, and Oversight, which operates under the supervision of Hibatullah Akhundzada's office in Kandahar, is responsible for sealing military equipment and distributing it, only if ordered by the Taliban leader. The office is also responsible for the management of military equipment depots.
The decree asks the Ministries of Defence, Interior and General Directorate of Intelligence to repair weapons, ammunition, cameras, communications and other military equipment if needed.
According to this document, when the seals and locks of military equipment depots are opened or closed, representatives of Hibatullah Akhundzada's Registration and Oversight Directorate must be present. Also, during the distribution of weapons, a representative of this office must be present.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed in an interview on Friday (November 8) that the order was issued with the aim of "proper management and security of weapons" and to prevent the "misuse" of military equipment.
Mujahid also described the move as a step to "improve coordination and reduce differences" among the military forces.
Some see the decision as a sign of mistrust among the Taliban leadership and divisions within the group.
A source told Afghanistan International that the decision was made after the Taliban's interior minister, Sirajuddin Haqqani, distributed quantities of military equipment among his supporters in the eastern provinces.
According to the source, the distribution of weapons among militias that have no role in the administration of the Taliban has angered Hibatullah Akhundzada.
