On Monday, the co-founder of the Taliban, Abdul Ghani Baradar and the deputy prime minister of Afghanistan released an audio statement, in which he says that he was alive and well after the news of his death went viral on social media.
In the audio statement released by the Taliban, Baradar blamed “fake propaganda” for the death rumours.
There were rumours on social media that he had died in a shootout between rival Taliban factions at the presidential palace.
“There had been news in the media about my death,” Baradar said in the audio statement.
“Over the past few nights I have been away on trips. Wherever I am at the moment, we are all fine, all my brothers and friends,” he added.
“Media always publish fake propaganda. Therefore, reject bravely all those lies, and I 100 percent confirm to you there is no issue and we have no problem.”
The audio message was relased on official Taliban sites, including that of the spokesperson of the political office of the new government.
Hibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban’s supreme leader was also rumoured to be dead for several years, but two weeks after the Taliban came into power, the group’s spokesman said he was “present in Kandahar.”
There were rumours in Pakistan and Afghanistan that he had contracted Covid-19 or had been killed in a bombing incident.