Taliban Postpones Announcement of New Afghan Government

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The Taliban has once again postponed announcing its new government, the makeup of which may provide insight into the coming years in Afghanistan.

Al Mayadeen sources reported battles have been continuing in the Panjshir province between the new regime and the armed opposition.

Panjshir is one of the final strongholds of the armed opposition to the Taliban, which may explain the delay in declaring the new government, previously due on Friday.

Amrullah Saleh published a video while in the state of Panjshir, denying reports of his escape, claiming they were rumors "propagated by the enemy."

Saleh explained he was in Panjshir holding meetings with commanders and fighters, stressing that the situation is dire and the fight against the Taliban will continue to protect Afghanistan

Reuters reported Taliban sources on Friday claiming that the Taliban controls all parts of Afghanistan, including the Panjshir Valley region. 

The Taliban Promises an "inclusive" government

The Taliban previously pledged the formation of an "inclusive" government, and in recent weeks developed ties with Afghan officials hostile to it, including former President Hamid Karzai and Vice president Abdullah Abdullah.

One thing that remains unclear is the status of opposition members and minorities. Therefore the makeup of the new government will be a litmus test for the real commitment to change. 

Three sources within the Taliban have previously stated that Abdul Ghani Baradar, the head of the Taliban's political bureau, will lead the new government.

The international community's opinion of the Taliban government

In a related context, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed hope that the Taliban would act in a "civilized" manner, whilst Beijing urged the movement to permanently sever its connections with all terrorist groups.

Gunnar Wiegand, the director of Asia and the Pacific at the European Commission, previously declared that the EU will not rush in recognizing the Taliban as the new ruling body of Afghanistan.

The US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, who will visit Qatar from Monday to Wednesday, expressed that the internal expectations are that of the Afghan government representing the largest segments of society, adding that the US is awaiting clear policies and directions.

Dire situation requires urgent government

In addition to security issues, whether related to the Pnajshir Valley or local ISIS threat, the new regime is in a dire situation given the deplorable state of the Afghan economy, as the four-decades-long conflict has exhausted it. Additionally, Afghanistan is now deprived of international aid on which it heavily relied.

In parallel, the UN warned earlier that Afghanistan is facing an imminent humanitarian catastrophe, intending to hold a meeting in Geneva with members to increase humanitarian assistance.