The Taliban Spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid on Tuesday announced a 33 member caretaker Cabinet to carry out the functions of the new government.
“The Islamic Emirate decided to appoint and announce a caretaker cabinet to carry out the necessary government works,” and said the remaining posts will be announced after careful deliberation.
Following is the list of the new Cabinet and profiles of some of the key ministers. (Scant information is available about some of the Cabinet members and will be updated as soon as available).
Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund – Prime Minister
Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund is presently head of the Taliban’s powerful decision-making body, Rehbari Shura or leadership council. He belongs to Kandahar, the birthplace of the Taliban, and is among the founders of the Taliban movement.
Akhund has worked for 20 years as head of Rehbari Shura and earned himself a very good reputation. According to the Taliban, Mullah Hasan has worked in important positions during their previous government in Afghanistan. He has served as foreign minister and deputy prime minister during the Taliban’s rule in Afghanistan in 1996-2001.
Born in Pashmol village of Panjwai district in Kandahar, Akhund hails from the Babar tribe of Pashtuns.
Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar – Deputy Prime Minister
One of the founding members of the Taliban, Abdul Ghani Baradar comes from Popalzai tribe of Pashtuns and belonged to the Uruzgan district. Earlier, he supervised the Taliban operation as well as leadership council and financial matters. During the Taliban government, he served as Governor of Herat and chief of the Taliban force. He was the main driving force of the insurgency after the Taliban were toppled by the US-led invasion in 2001.
He was arrested in February 2010 and remained in prison for eight years, until he was released as part of a plan to facilitate the peace process. He has been the head of their political office in Qatar since January 2019. In 2020, Baradar became the first Taliban leader to communicate directly with US President Donald Trump. He is also credited with signing the Doha agreement on the withdrawal of US troops on behalf of the Taliban.
Molavi Abdul Salam Hanafi – Deputy Prime Minister
Former member of Taliban negotiating team in Qatar and an ethnic Uzbek.
Molavi Amir Khan Muttaqi – Foreign Minister
He is also another prominent figure from the previous Taliban’s government and was the head of the Taliban’s powerful Invitation and Guidance Commission. According to the New York Times, he was responsible for persuading many members of the Afghan army and police forces to surrender in recent months.
Zabihullah Mujahid Deputy – Info Minister
Zabihullah Mujahid has been assigned the portfolio of Deputy Minister for Information and Culture. He was appointed Taliban spokesperson after the arrest of Muhammad Hanif in January 2007.
Having got early education at different seminaries of Afghanistan, Mujahid is at home in Pashtu, Persian and English languages.
Molavi Sirajuddin Haqqani – Interior Minister
Appointed as caretaker Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani was born in 1970 to Jalaluddin Haqqani. After the death of his father, he became the new leader of the Haqqani network.
Coming from Khost province, Haqqani had taken part in Afghan Jihad and later against US and NATO forces. He enjoys a prominent place among the Taliban and the Haqqani group.
Haji Khalilur Rehman Haqqani – Refugees Minister
Appointed as Minister for Refugees, Khalilur Rehman Haqqani belongs to the Zadran tribe in Khost province and is a cousin of Sirajuddin Haqqani.
Having obtained his early education in Afghanistan and later Darul Ulum Haqqania Akora Khattak, he actively took part in the war against alien forces.
Molavi Yaqoob Mujahid – Defense Minister
The elder son of late Mulla Omar, Maulvi Muhammad Yaqoob has been assigned the portfolio of Defense Minister in the new Taliban cabinet. Also a deputy Amri of the Taliban, he was born in 1990 in Kandahar where he also obtained his early education. He first came to prominence in 2015 when, in an audio message released after his father’s death, he called for unity within the militant group. He also played a key role in coordination between the military and political wings of the Taliban and is highly regarded in the group.
According to the BBC he is believed to be over 30 years old and is currently the leader of the group’s military operations.
