Mohammad Hasan Akhund[b] (born c. 1945 – c. 1958) is an Afghan mullah, politician and Taliban leader who is currently the acting prime minister of Afghanistan in the internationally unrecognized Taliban regime since 7 September 2021.[4]
Akhund is one of the founding members of the Taliban and has been a senior leading member of the movement. In the first Taliban government (1996–2001), he served as the deputy foreign minister.
Akhund is one of the oldest members of the Taliban, and was a close associate of Mohammed Omar, the first leader of the movement.[8] During the Taliban rule (1996–2001), in addition to being the Deputy Prime Minister, he also served as the foreign minister of Afghanistan from 1998 to 27 October 1999.[10] Like many other senior Taliban, he is subject to United Nations sanctions related to the sheltering of terrorist groups.[7]
During the period of insurgency (2001–2021), Akhund was intermittently a member of the Quetta Shura.[11] In 2013, he was the chief of the Taliban's commissions and the head of the recruitment commission.[12]
Following the Taliban's return to power in 2021, Akhund was appointed interim Prime Minister.[13][14] His appointment was seen as a compromise between the Taliban's moderate and hardline figures.[15] He took office on 7 September 2021.[16][17]
Additional information
Akhund is the author of several works on Islam.[7] According to BBC News, he is more influential on the religious side of the Taliban, as opposed to the military side.[15] A United States Institute of Peace analyst argued that he was more of a political person.[18]
^Deputy Abdul Kabir served as acting prime minister pro tempore from 17 May 2023 to 17 July 2023 while Hasan Akhund was recovering from an illness.[1][2]
^Adamec, Ludwig W. (2012). Historical Dictionary of Afghanistan (4th ed.). Scarecrow Press. p. 69. ISBN9780810879577. [1999] 27 October: Mulla Mutawakil is named minister of foreign affairs, replacing Mulla Hasan Akhund.