Mullah Hasan Akhund: Known for His Religious Devotion, One of Taliban’s Low-Profile ‘Original 30’ Likely to Head Afghanistan

After days of consultations, the Taliban have appointed Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund as the new head of state, according to senior leaders, according to a media report.

Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund is currently head of the powerful decision-making agency of the Taliban, Rehbari Shura or Leadership Council. He belongs to Kandahar, the birthplace of the Taliban, and was among the founders of the armed movement.

“He worked for 20 years as Head of Rehbari Shura and won a very good reputation. He is a religious leader instead of a military fund and is known for his character and devotion,” a Taliban leader in the report was quoted of News International.

According to the Taliban, Mullah Hassan had worked on important positions during the previous government of him in Afghanistan. He was Minister of Foreign Affairs and then made the Deputy Prime Minister when Mullah Mohammad Rabbani Akhund was the prime minister.

He was also Governor of Kandahar, vice president of the Council of Ministers in 2001. According to the UN, he is one of the “30 original Taliban”.

ccording to the National Security File of Washington DC, “Akhund has prejudice against Westerners and Mujahadeen. Considered one of the most effective commanders. Studied at several Madrasses in Pakistan.”

By the year 2001 he rose in the ranks, to supervise the Ministries of Defense, Intelligence, Interior, Supreme Court, Culture and Communications, Academy.

It was also reported that he has been captured in 2010.

It is considered that he is a relatively low-known Taliban leader and is known as “light weight” in several media reports. While he is on a horror list.

Disagreements between the multiple features of the extremist group have a government formation as stallen in the nation devastated by the war. Kabul fell to the Taliban three weeks ago.

The main contenders for power, whose struggles delayed the announcement of a new regime, include the Doha Unit of the Taliban headed by Mullah Baradar, The Haqqani Network, a semi-independent terrorist attire operating in eastern Afghanistan, and the Kandahar faction of the Taliban.