The Taliban leadership in Afghanistan is facing a severe internal crisis. On 10 November 2025, an assassination attempt was made on Taliban ruler Haibatullah Akhundzada at Kandahar’s central Jihadi Madrassa. This seminary is the administrative headquarters for all 34 provincial Jihadi madrassa networks, where Hibatullah’s security was considered extremely tight.
Who was the attacker?
The attacker was identified as Lieutenant Hafiz Siddiqullah, son of Maulvi Abdul Nabi (a resident of Musa Qala district of Helmand province). Siddiqullah was part of the Azm 215 Army Corps, operating under the Taliban Ministry of Defense’s Counter-Intelligence Directorate. In 2024, he had been transferred from Camp Shorabak (formerly Camp Bastion) in Helmand to the central Jihadi Madrassa in Kandahar, where he was undergoing jihadi training.
Because of this posting, he had customary access to Haibatullah, which he used to carry out the attack. During the incident, Siddiqullah stabbed Haibatullah on his right hand, causing a superficial wound. The Umari Lashkar security unit immediately injured the attacker, who is still alive and currently under Taliban custody near Kandahar, where he is being interrogated.
Structure of Haibatullah’s security
Haibatullah’s security consists of three main components forming part of the Umari Lashkar, which comprises nearly 60,000 armed fighters. This force protects Haibatullah, his family, key commanders, and religious figures, and oversees areas directly under their authority.
Commanded by Mullah Abdullah Jan Akhundzada (Hafiz Nazar), with Mullah Muhammad Zarif Zarar as deputy. Approximately 1,000 fighters who are always around Hibatullah.
There is no confirmation that the attacker was a bodyguard, was linked to the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), or was associated with any foreign intelligence agency.
TTP maintains loyalty to Haibatullah and he played no role in the 9 October 2025 Kabul attack that injured TTP leader Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud.
Taliban sources have dismissed rumors circulating in media and social media, such as claims that a bodyguard carried out the attack or that TTP was behind it, calling them false propaganda aimed at inflaming internal rifts within the Taliban.
The attacker’s affiliation with the Azm 215 Army Corps (aligned with the Kabul faction) indicates that the attack may have been an attempt by the Haqqani Network and ministers aligned with Kabul to undermine Haibatullah’s authority from within.
The incident reflects factional disputes over postings, revenue distribution, and regional control, highlighting the Kandahar-Kabul power struggle.
Impact and significance
This attack is the most serious internal threat faced by Haibatullah since the fall of Kabul in 2021. It occurred in what was considered his most secure environment, the central Jihadi Madrassa. It exposes vulnerabilities within the Taliban’s internal structure, especially from individuals with access through government institutions such as the Ministry of Defense.
Publicly, the event has been downplayed to preserve an image of unity, but it indicates a possible failed rebellion or an attempt to destabilize the leadership. Haibatullah’s authority relies not only on military strength but on internal loyalty and vigilance.
This incident further highlights internal divisions within the Afghan Taliban, which may have implications for regional stability.
