Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund Age, Wife, Family, Biography & More

Some Lesser Known Facts About Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund

• Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund is one of the four Taliban leaders who founded the Taliban in Afghanistan, also known as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan or the Taliban state, an Islamic state ruled by the Taliban, an Islamist militant group. On 7 September 2021, Akhund became the acting Prime Minister and head of state of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

• Reportedly, Mullah Akhund traces his Pashtun lineage from Ahmad Shah Durrani who is considered the founder of modern Afghanistan. ^[10]Al Jazeera

• Mullah Akhund grew up in Zhari District in Kandahar Province. Kandahar is believed to be the epicenter of the Taliban movement. While growing up, he attended various seminaries in Afghanistan but never attended any seminary in Pakistan. ^[11]The Express Tribune

• Reportedly, he quit his studies midway to fight against the Soviets in the late 1970s.

• While growing up in Kandahar, Akhund became one of the closest associates of Mullah Mohammed Omar who led the Taliban government in 1996. They were friends since their teenage years, when Mullah Omar was living with his stepfather in Urazgan province. It is believed that Akhund would often take Omar on long motorcycle rides in Kandahar. ^[12]The Express Tribune
  

  Mullah Mohammed Omar

• As a mujahideen fighter in Afghanistan, Mullah Akhund, Mullah Baradar, and Mullah Mohammed Omar fought side by side against the Soviets during the 1980s.

• Mullah Akhund was among the three key people who came forward with the idea of the Taliban movement.

• When Taliban was in its nascent phase, Mullah Akhund actively supported the movement through financial and logistics aides and arranged Shura meetings; Shura meetings are meant for Muslims to decide their affairs in consultation with each other.

• To provide international recognition to the Taliban, Akhund is credited for opening diplomatic channels with Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). During the tenure of Nawaz Sharif as the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Akhund visited Pakistan to meet him.
  

  Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund meeting Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Pakistan

• Mullah Akhund served on Kabul’s six-man Supervisory Council in 1995.

• In the mid-1990s, when the Taliban captured Kabul, they formed their first government headed by Mullah Rabbani, and Akhund was given the portfolios of the country’s foreign minister and deputy prime minister.

• In April 2001, Rabbani died of cancer, and Mullah Akhund took the charge as the next caretaker prime minister; he held the post for around five years. Having failed to assume control of the entire country during their first tenure, the Taliban called their government “caretakers.”

• Akhund never lost his seat in Rehbari Shura (also called Quetta Shura), whether when the Taliban were in government (from 1996 to 2001) or in the midst of the 20-year war against the US-led forces (from 2001 to 2021).

• In 2013, Mullah Akhund became the chief of the Taliban’s commissions and headed the recruitment commission.

• After Mullah Omar’s demise in April 2013, Akhund became a close aide to the next head of the Taliban movement Mullah Mansoor.
  

  A newspaper displaying the news about Mullah Mohammed Omar’s death

• In November 2015, Mullah Mansoor died in a drone attack, and Mullah Haibatullah became the new chief of the Taliban movement, and since then, Mullah Akhund has been a close aide and adviser to Haibatullah.

• Apparently, after the death of Mullah Omar and again after the death of Mullah Mansoor, Akhund was asked repeatedly by the Rehbari Shura to assume the role of Taliban Ameer, but he refused. According to Taliban sources, the Rehbari Shura has given so much respect to Akhund that on any decision, his word is taken as final.

• It is believed that it was Mullah Akhund who paved the way of the consensus on the name of Mullah Haibatullah to become the chief of Taliban. ^[13]The Express Tribune

• According to Asfandyar Mir, an analyst at the United States Institute for Peace, Akhund’s stature as a religious scholar doesn’t match that of spiritual leader Haibatullah Akhundzada; Asfandyar Mir has closely studied the Taliban leadership. ^[14]Reuters Mir says,
  

  He appears to be more of a political person. His main claim to power is that he had a very senior role pre-9/11.”

• Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund is under U.N. sanctions for his role in the Taliban government that ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001. ^[15]Reuters

• On 7 September 2021, the Taliban announced an interim government in Afghanistan led by Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund and declared the country an ‘Islamic Emirate.”

• It is believed that he has good articulation skills and has written several books on Islam. ^[16]Al Jazeera

• The age of Mullah Akhund is not certain. Some sources claim that he is in his mid-60s, while a European Union sanctions notice considers him as old as 76. According to a Taliban source,
  

  He is very old in age, he is the oldest person in (senior) Taliban ranks.”

• Mullah Akhund is considered a highly respected person in Taliban ranks. According to a Taliban source,
  

  People respect him very highly, especially Amir al-Mu’minin (Commander of the Faithful).”