Mullah Mutasim's arrest exposes Afghan Taliban's internal power struggle, cracks in the ranks: Analysts

ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Apr, 2026) The recent detention and subsequent release of influential Taliban figure Mullah Mutasim Agha Jan have highlighted widening internal rifts and power struggles within the Afghan Taliban, exposing deep-seated tensions in the group.

According to the security analysts, the episode underscores significant friction within Taliban's leadership structure. Mullah Mutasim, a former Qatar-based Shura member, was detained on the direct orders of Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada and taken into custody by his special unit.

They said that the immediate trigger for the arrest was reportedly Mullah Mutasim’s remarks against Mullah Baradar, in which he used derogatory terms. Internally, he was accused of creating divisions within the group’s ranks and facilitating the arming of aligned individuals.

Following his apprehension, Taliban authorities launched a series of raids on the homes and compounds of their own members in Kandahar and Kabul, aiming to disarm those suspected of being part of his network. This sweep highlighted a climate of distrust within the Taliban’s own structure.

The analysts believed that the incident reflects long-standing suspicions regarding Mullah Mutasim, who had previously been removed from internal structures over allegations of links to foreign intelligence networks—a vulnerability the leadership perceived as a risk for foreign exploitation of internal Taliban fault lines.

Despite this history, he had been brought back into Afghanistan by Mullah Yaqoob due to his regional connections and historical proximity to Mullah Omar. Recent reporting links him to anti-Haibatullah groupings, particularly among Kabul-based leadership factions.

The Taliban’s public response utilized a strategy of information control, initially denying the arrest entirely. Later, an unofficial narrative was floated, describing the detention as a “misunderstanding” by a commander who has since been dismissed.

Ultimately, following interventions by the Haqqani Network, Mullah Mutasim was released. This reversal is viewed as a consequence of intra-group bargaining, suggesting that Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada opted to secure his release to prevent further escalation of tensions and deeper fractures within the organization.

The episode underscores persistent fragmentation risks, masked by controlled messaging and selective disclosure by the Taliban authorities.