Reclusive Taliban leader releases end-of-Ramadan message

ISLAMABAD (AP) — The reclusive top leader of the Taliban has released a message lauding the changes in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover and the measures they imposed after seizing the country following two decades of war. Tuesday’s statement from Hibatullah Akhundzada was made public ahead of the Eid al-Fitr holiday later this week that marks the end of the fasting Muslim month of Ramadan. Akhundzada appears in recent months to have taken a stronger hand in directing domestic policy, banning girls’ education after the sixth grade and barring Afghan women from public life and work, especially for non-governmental organizations and the United Nations.