The Taliban leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, declared on Sunday that Western laws are irrelevant in Afghanistan and that democracy is dead under the enforcement of sharia law.

His remarks were delivered in a 50-minute audio message marking Eid al-Fitr, from the Eidgah Mosque in Kandahar.

“There is no need for laws that originate from the West. We will create our own laws,” Akhundzada said.

He stressed that Islamic law was sufficient in the country in a public recording shared by the Taliban government’s chief spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, on X.

On Sunday, Akhundzada condemned the West, claiming that non-Muslim nations, including the US were united in their hostility toward Islam. He cited the ongoing Israel-Hamas war as an example.

Democracy had ended in Afghanistan and sharia law was in effect, he said, claiming that supporters of democracy were attempting to drive a wedge between the people and the Taliban government.

Akhundzada’s influence has grown significantly since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. Despite earlier promises from some officials of a more moderate approach, his rule has been marked by an increasingly hardline interpretation of Islamic law.

Since their return, the Taliban have imposed drastic restrictions on women and girls, barring them from secondary and higher education, most jobs and public spaces. 

These measures have further isolated the regime internationally, though it maintains diplomatic relations with countries such as China and the United Arab Emirates.

While the Taliban face no viable opposition inside or outside Afghanistan, internal rifts have surfaced. Some senior figures in the administration have expressed frustration at centralised decision making in Akhundzada’s circle.

Certain Taliban officials have pushed for greater international engagement and scrapping harsher policies to attract more outside support.

In recent months, there has been more engagement between the Taliban and the US under US President Donald Trump, focused on prisoner exchanges and releases.