ISLAMABAD (AP) — The Taliban's reclusive supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada urged his officials to set aside their differences and serve Afghanistan properly, according to a written statement released Saturday ahead of the Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of Ramadan.
Public dissent within the Taliban is rare, but some senior figures have expressed their disagreement with the leadership's decision making, especially the bans on female education.
Akhundzada, an Islamic scholar who almost never appears in public, rarely leaves the Taliban heartland in southern Kandahar province. He and his circle have been instrumental in imposing restrictions on women and girls that have sparked an international outcry and isolated the Taliban on the global stage.
His message was distributed in seven languages including Uzbek and Turkmen — the Taliban are courting cash-rich Central Asian countries for investment and legitimacy — and it touched on diplomatic relations, the economy, justice, charity, and the virtues of meritocracy.
Akhundzada said Taliban officials should "live a brotherly life among themselves, avoid disagreements and selfishness."
He said the war against the Soviet invasion and communism failed due to disagreements within the Taliban and that they could not implement Shariah in Afghanistan as a result of these divisions.
While he mentioned education, he said nothing about reopening schools and universities for girls and women.
Nor did he refer to recent unconfirmed reports about him saying there would be a resumption of stoning Afghan women to death for adultery, a punishment previously carried out during the Taliban's first period of rule in the late 1990s.
Akhundzada in Saturday's message said security did not come from “being tough and killing more; rather, security is aligned with Shariah and justice."
Hassan Abbas, a professor at the National Defense University in Washington D.C. and author of the “Return of the Taliban," said Akhundzada's message sounded “largely reasonable” and was focused on governance and anti-corruption matters.
“I believe this message is carefully crafted to dispel the negative impression created by a recently released audio of his that gives a very dogmatic and regressive message, especially about public punishments and women rights,” Abbas told The Associated Press. “I think this new message is also intended as damage control.”
Also on Saturday, the Taliban-controlled Supreme Court said six people, including a woman, were publicly flogged on adultery charges in eastern Logar province.
FILE - In this undated and unknown location photo, the new leader of Taliban fighters, Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada is photographed. The Taliban's reclusive supreme leader is urging his officials to set aside their differences. Public dissent within the Taliban is rare, but some senior figures have expressed their disagreement with the leadership's decision making, especially the ban on female education. The written statement on Saturday April 6, 2024 from Hibatullah Akhundzada was published ahead of the Eid al-Fitr holiday that marks the end of Ramadan. (Afghan Islamic Press via AP, File)
NEW YORK (AP) — Juan Soto had his first multihomer game with the Yankees, Luis Gil struck out a career-high 14 and New York beat the Chicago White Sox 6-1 on Saturday to extend its winning streak to a season-high six games.
Giancarlo Stanton and Jose Trevino also went deep for New York, which has won 12 of 14 and improved to an AL-best 32-15. Soto was 4 for 4 with a walk and is batting .317 with 11 homers and 37 RBIs.
“It was a fun day," said Soto, who has rebounded after a 3-for-25 slide on a six-game road trip."
New York is 12-2-1 in series, matching 2002 as the only times since 1950 the Yankees have won 12 of their first 15 series.
Soto tied the score in the first with a 417-foot drive deep into the right-field bleachers, had an RBI single in the second and hit another solo shot in the fifth with a 437-footer deeper into the right-field bleachers. It was the 18th multihomer game for Soto, who combined with Stanton and Aaron Judge to make New York the first team this year with a trio of double-digit home run hitters.
Gil (5-1) won his fourth straight start and fifth consecutive decision, allowing one run, five hits and one walk in six innings. Gil has given up two runs over 24 1/3 innings in his last four starts.
“I have a great professor in Gerrit Cole,” Gil said through a translator of his Cy Young Award-winning teammate. “He’s always around and always giving me pointers.”
The 25-year-old right-hander averaged 96.4 mph with his fastball, 0.5 mph above his season average. He set the Yankees' rookie record for strikeouts, topping the 13 on Aug. 13, 1998, by Orlando Hernández, who threw out Saturday’s ceremonial first pitch.
“I was very happy to meet him after the game,” Gil said. “For him to be here and connect after the game — great.”
After struggling through a 29-pitch first inning that included 13 changeups, Gil struck out seven in a row starting in the fourth in a streak ended by Eloy Jiménez’s single.
“Maybe his best fastball of the year, which is saying something,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.
Brad Keller (0-2) allowed a career-high four homers. Making his second start this season, he gave up six runs — five earned — and seven hits in four-plus innings. Chicago batters struck out a season-high 16 times as the White Sox dropped to a major league-worst 4-18 on the road and 14-32 overall.
Andrew Benintendi’s opposite-field RBI double to left put Chicago ahead in the first, but Gil stranded the bases loaded when Korey Lee took a fastball for a called third strike.
Soto tied the score, Judge reached on an infield hit when third baseman Danny Mendick double-clutched before his throw, and Stanton hit an opposite-field RBI double off the right-center wall for a 2-1 lead.
Stanton homered to right-center in the fourth, his 11th of the season and fifth in nine games.
TRAINER’S ROOM
White Sox: INF Bryan Ramos, on the IL since straining his left quadriceps Tuesday, could soon start a rehab assignment at Triple-A Charlotte, manager Pedro Grifol said.
Yankees: RHP Gerrit Cole (right elbow nerve inflammation and edema) threw his first bullpen session in which he sat down in the middle for a break simulating an inning. “That’s a big, big one for him to check that box,” pitching coach Matt Blake said. “See how he bounces back after today and then go from there.” Cole was throwing in the low 90 mph range and soon could progress to batting practice. Cole was told to stop throwing in mid-March and pitched his first bullpen on May 4. The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner is likely to need four or five minor league rehab starts, simulating spring training.
UP NEXT
LHP Carlos Rodón (4-2, 3.31) starts Sunday’s series finale coming off his first consecutive winning outings with the Yankees. RHP Chris Flexen (2-3, 4.46) starts for Chicago.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
New York Yankees' Juan Soto, right, celebrates with third base coach Luis Rojas as he runs the bases after hitting a home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
New York Yankees' Juan Soto celebrates with teammates after hitting a home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in New York. The Yankees won 6-1. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
New York Yankees' Aaron Judge (99) celebrates with teammates after a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in New York. The Yankees won 6-1. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
New York Yankees' Aaron Judge (99) beats the throw to Chicago White Sox first baseman Andrew Vaughn for a single during the first inning of a baseball game, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
New York Yankees' Juan Soto, left, celebrates with Aaron Judge after hitting a home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
New York Yankees' Luis Gil pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
New York Yankees' Luis Gil pitches during the second inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Brad Keller, right, reacts as New York Yankees' Juan Soto runs the bases after hitting a home run during the first inning of a baseball game, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
New York Yankees' Juan Soto hits a home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
In this image taken with a slow shutter speed, New York Yankees' Juan Soto runs the bases after hitting a home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
