New Delhi, July 20 -- On 8th July, 2025, the International Criminal Court (ICC), in a significant ruling, issued arrest warrants for Haibatullah Akhundzada, Supreme Leader of the Taliban, and Abdul Hakim Haqqani, Chief Justice of the Taliban. The ICC believes that the court has found "reasonable grounds" that indicate these two de facto rulers of Afghanistan have committed a crime against humanity of persecution on gender grounds. The Taliban leaders responded by saying it doesn't recognise the ICC and called the warrant "a clear act of hostility" and an "insult to the beliefs of Muslims around the world".0

Challenging the authority of the ICC is not an isolated event in world politics as last February the Taliban leaders withdrew Afghan...