Mullah Omar’s son comes on TV in bid to shine Taliban’s public picture

The televised occasion noticed Mohammad Yaqoob, Afghanistan’s new defence minister, interesting to native businessmen to spend money on hospitals and clinics, signalling the Taliban are rising from the shadows. Taliban Defence Minister Mohammad Yaqoob, the son of Taliban founder and late supreme chief Mullah Omar, appeared in public for the primary time on Wednesday. (AFP picture)The son of Taliban founder Mullah Omar appeared in public for the primary time on Wednesday, as Afghanistan’s hardline rulers attempt to polish their media picture.

The televised occasion noticed Mohammad Yaqoob, Afghanistan’s new defence minister, interesting to native businessmen to spend money on hospitals and clinics, signalling the Taliban are rising from the shadows.As supreme chief of the motion throughout their first reign of energy, Yaqoob’s father Mullah Omar hardly ever appeared in public, and images of him have been banned.Even when the one-eyed cleric died in 2013, the information was not made public for greater than two years.But for the reason that Taliban returned to energy in mid-August after a 20-year conflict towards a US-backed authorities, its ministers have been taking a extra open public and political position.ALSO READ | US, Taliban had ‘productive’ talks on humanitarian assist, says State Department”Let’s spend some money here. Businessmen brothers have to come here to build hospitals, clinics, doctors have to come here too,” Yaqoob stated, on the Sardar Mohammad Dawood Khan navy hospital in Kabul.Afghanistan’s well being sector has been shattered by conflict and Afghanistan’s economic system has floor to a halt for the reason that return of the Taliban, who stay below worldwide sanctions.Thousands are in search of remedy overseas, including to chaos on the borders as others flee Taliban rule.Yaqoob was as soon as head of a robust navy fee and benefited from the aura of his late father’s cult-like standing within the motion.But probably the most senior positions within the new authorities went to comrades of Omar, together with Prime Minister Mohammad Hassan Akhund and his deputy Abdul Ghani Baradar.ALSO READ | New management, resurgence and conquest: Decoding Taliban meals chain after Mullah Omar’s demiseClick right here for IndiaToday.in’s full protection of the coronavirus pandemic.