Afghanistan’s Ministry of Information and Culture has started putting up hoardings, writing slogans on walls and hoisting flags in Kabul ahead of announcing the new cabinet.

Ahmadullah Muttaqi, who claims to be the chief of the multimedia branch cultural commission of Afghanistan, took to Twitter to share some images from Kabul, showing slogans written on walls and posters informing about the Afghanistan cabinet formation.

The Taliban are all set to form a government in Afghanistan on Friday even as preparations are in the final stages to announce the new cabinet. “All the top leaders arrived in Kabul,” one Taliban official told Reuters.

Some media reports claimed that Taliban co-founder Mullah Baradar will lead a new Afghan government. According to sources in the Islamist group, Baradar, who heads the Taliban’s political office, will be joined by Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, the son of late Taliban founder Mullah Omar, and Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai, in senior positions in the government.

Mullah Baradar (centre) could be the new Afghanistan govt leader. (Reuters)

“Consultations are almost finalised on the new government, and the necessary discussions have also been held about the cabinet,” Mufti Inamullah Samangani, a senior official in the Taliban’s information and culture commission, was quoted by news agency PTI as saying on Wednesday.

WHAT THE TALIBAN PROMISE

It is almost after 20 years that the Taliban leadership has returned to Afghanistan after the US and Nato forces had removed the Taliban government in 2001.

As the Taliban are prepared to return to power, Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, deputy leader of the Taliban political office in Doha, earlier assured that women and members from all tribes in Afghanistan will be part of the new government set-up, news agency PTI reported on Thursday.

Stanikzai also said, “Any person who was part of any former Afghanistan governments during the last 20 years will not be included in the new Taliban administration.”

The Taliban have further promised to allow safe passage out of the country for any foreigners or Afghans left behind by the massive airlift which ended with the withdrawal of the last US troops on Monday.

Another prominent Taliban leader, Abdul Salam Hanifi, said, “We have assured all people and sections of the population of Afghanistan that we will ensure not only their security but also everything else.”

The Taliban swept to power in Afghanistan after taking control over Kabul on August 15. They announced an Islamic Emirate in Afghanistan.

Now, Panjshir is the only province of Afghanistan that is still out of Taliban control. A fierce fighting is going on in the Panjshir Valley, situated north of Kabul.