Taliban Leader Hits Back At Global Critics In Rare Address

In the capital Kabul, the third Eid al-Fitr festivities under the Taliban government were accompanied by heightened security (Credit: AFP)

The Taliban's hyper-reclusive supreme leader made a rare public appearance Wednesday, an Afghan government spokesman said, berating the international community in a speech for criticising his rule.

Hibatullah Akhundzada has made only a handful of public appearances since inheriting the leadership of the Taliban in 2016 and leading the movement back to power with the withdrawal of US forces in 2021.