The Afghan Taliban have announced their interim government with Mullah Hassan Akhund as the prime minister. Mullah Abdul Ghani Bardar will serve as the acting Vice President of Afghanistan.
Mullah Ameer Khan Mutaqi will be Afghanistan's new foreign minister. The ministry of Interior has been given to Sirajuddin Haqqani, while Maulvi Yaqoob will serve as the defence minister.
Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund is a lesser known Taliban leader who emerged as a compromise candidate as differences within the militant group reportedly arose. Akhund was a minister in the Taliban government before the group went to war against the US in 2001. He is close to Taliban's spiritual leader Sheikhh Hibatullah and is known for his religious views as opposed to military skills.
Akhunzada is from Kandahar and was one of the founders of the militant group. In 2001, he oversaw the destruction of Bamiyan Buddhas, saying that it was a 'religious duty'.
Afghanistan's new Interior Minister, Jalaluddin Haqqani, is head of the notorious Haqqani Network. He assumed this role after the death of his father, Jalaluddin Haqqani. This group was behind some of the most violent attacks that have taken place in Afghanistan, targeting Afghan forces and their Western allies in past few years.
In an article for the New York Times written last year before the signing of the Doha accord, Haqqani had said: "For more than four decades, precious Afghan lives have been lost every day. Everyone has lost somebody they loved. Everyone is tired of war. I am convinced that the killing and the maiming must stop."
Mullah Ameer Khan Mutaqi will be Afghanistan's new foreign minister. The ministry of Interior has been given to Sirajuddin Haqqani, while Maulvi Yaqoob will serve as the defence minister.
Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund is a lesser known Taliban leader who emerged as a compromise candidate as differences within the militant group reportedly arose. Akhund was a minister in the Taliban government before the group went to war against the US in 2001. He is close to Taliban's spiritual leader Sheikhh Hibatullah and is known for his religious views as opposed to military skills.
Akhunzada is from Kandahar and was one of the founders of the militant group. In 2001, he oversaw the destruction of Bamiyan Buddhas, saying that it was a 'religious duty'.
Afghanistan's new Interior Minister, Jalaluddin Haqqani, is head of the notorious Haqqani Network. He assumed this role after the death of his father, Jalaluddin Haqqani. This group was behind some of the most violent attacks that have taken place in Afghanistan, targeting Afghan forces and their Western allies in past few years.
In an article for the New York Times written last year before the signing of the Doha accord, Haqqani had said: "For more than four decades, precious Afghan lives have been lost every day. Everyone has lost somebody they loved. Everyone is tired of war. I am convinced that the killing and the maiming must stop."