LONDON – Afghanistan’s new rulers have rewarded Taliban veterans and hardliners with plum posts in the Cabinet despite promising an inclusive government, but the choices could pose obstacles in the country getting Western recognition and aid.
At least three members named in what was described as an acting cabinet on Tuesday were among the Taliban Five, who were long-term detainees at the United States military prison in Guantanamo Bay and freed seven years ago in exchange for an American soldier in Taliban custody.
The interior ministry went to Sirajuddin Haqqani, head of the Haqqani Network, who is wanted by the U.S. on terrorism charges and carries a bounty of up to U.S. $10 million.
His uncle, with a bounty of U.S. $5 million, is the minister for refugees and repatriation.
The 33-strong cabinet was dominated by Pashtun men, mostly battle-hardened veterans of the two-decade war against the American-backed government.
There were no women and just three members from minorities, although these included the powerful positions of deputy prime minister, held by the Uzbek Abdul Salam Hanafi, and army chief, held by the Tajik Qari Faseeh udin.
“The way they have set about constituting a government sends the wrong signal,” said Rohan Gunaratna, professor of security studies at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University.
He added that the choices made it extremely difficult for the international community to recognise the new government.
“Afghanistan will not achieve a seat in the U.N.,” he said.
Foreign countries greeted the makeup of the new government in Afghanistan with caution and dismay.
“We’re assessing the announcement, but despite professing that a new government would be inclusive, the announced list of names consists exclusively of individuals who are members of the Taliban or their close associates, and no women,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.
Washington was “concerned by the affiliations and track records of some of those individuals,” added Blinken, who was visiting a U.S. air base in Germany that has been a transit point for evacuees from Afghanistan.
The European Union said it was ready to continue with emergency aid to Afghanistan, but it will keep a close eye on the new Taliban government.
Afghanistan faces the collapse of basic services and food, and other aid is about to run out, the United Nations said on Tuesday.
(Reuters)
Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban’s deputy leader and negotiator, and other delegation members attend the Afghan peace conference in March in Moscow, Russia. (Reuters)
