Hasan Akhund

{{Short description|Acting Prime Minister of Afghanistan since 2021}}

{{Cleanup|reason=needs a section for the religious works he has written|date=December 2022}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix = Mullah

| name = Mohammad Hasan Akhund

| native_name = {{nobold|محمد حسن آخوند}}

| native_name_lang = ps

| image = Hasan Akhund.png

| caption = Akhund in 2022

| office = Prime Minister of Afghanistan

| order = Acting

| 1blankname = Supreme Leader

| 1namedata = Hibatullah Akhundzada

| 2blankname = Deputy

| 2namedata = {{ubl|Abdul Ghani Baradar (acting)|Abdul Salam Hanafi (acting)|Abdul Kabir (acting)}}

| term_start = 7 September 2021{{efn|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.{{cite news |author1=Mohammad Farshad Daryosh |title=Mawlawi Kabir Appointed Acting PM As Mullah Hassan Akhund is Ill: Mujahid |url=https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-183402 |access-date=18 September 2023 |work=TOLOnews |date=17 May 2023 |archive-date=24 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230524153224/https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-183402 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=Adeeb |first1=Fatema |title=Prime Minister's Absence From Meetings Raises Questions |url=https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-185025 |access-date=18 September 2023 |work=TOLOnews |date=9 September 2023 |archive-date=10 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230910093700/https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-185025 |url-status=live }}}}

| predecessor = Abdul Kabir (acting, 2001)

| office2 = Member of the Leadership Council

| term_start2 = 15 August 2021

| term_label3 = In exile

| term_start3 = May 2002{{cite news |last1=Sayed |first1=Abdul |title=Analysis: How Are the Taliban Organized? |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/us-afghanistan-troop-withdrawal_analysis-how-are-taliban-organized/6219266.html |access-date=3 July 2022 |work=Voice of America |date=8 September 2021 |archive-date=2 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211102184142/https://www.voanews.com/a/us-afghanistan-troop-withdrawal_analysis-how-are-taliban-organized/6219266.html |url-status=live }}

| term_end3 = 15 August 2021

| order4 = Deputy Prime Minister of Afghanistan

| primeminister4 = Mohammad Rabbani
Abdul Kabir (acting)

| term_start4 = 27 September 1996

| term_end4 = 13 November 2001

| leader4 = Mohammed Omar

| predecessor4 = Office established

| successor4 = {{ubli|Abdul Ghani Baradar (acting, 2021)|Abdul Salam Hanafi (acting, 2021)}}

| order5 = Foreign Minister of Afghanistan

| primeminister5 = Mohammad Rabbani

| term_start5 = 1998

| term_end5 = October 27, 1999

| leader5 = Mohammed Omar

| predecessor5 = Abdul Jalil

| successor5 = Wakil Ahmed Muttawakil

| birth_date = {{circa|1945|1958|lk=no}}

| birth_place = Pashmul, Panjwayi District (now in Zhari District), Kandahar Province, Kingdom of Afghanistan

| party =

| blank1 = Political affiliation

| data1 = Taliban

| allegiance =

| otherparty =

| leader1 =

| deputy2 =

| occupation = Politician, Taliban member

}}

Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund{{efn|{{langx|ps|محمد حسن اخوند}} {{IPA|ps|mʊˈhamad haˈsan ɑˈxund|}}}} (born between {{circa|1945|1958}}) is an Afghan politician and Taliban leader who is currently the acting prime minister of Afghanistan in the internationally unrecognized Taliban government since 7 September 2021.{{Cite web |title=Who is Mohammad Hasan Akhund, the head of new Taliban gov't? |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/7/profile-mohammad-hassan-akhund-the-head-of-taliban-government |access-date=2023-12-16 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en |archive-date=20 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211120062550/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/7/profile-mohammad-hassan-akhund-the-head-of-taliban-government |url-status=live }}

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.

Early life and education

Akhund is from southern Afghanistan.{{cite news |url=https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-174574 |title=Hibatullah Akhundzada to Lead Taliban Govt |newspaper=TOLOnews |date=September 9, 2021 |access-date=2021-09-09 |quote=Mullah Hassan Akhundzada, 65, who is the Prime Minister (head of state) is originally from Shah Walikot district of Kandahar province. |archive-date=9 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210909072059/https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-174574 |url-status=live }} According to UN Security Council data, he was born in Pashmul, which at the time of his birth was in Panjwayi District, but is now in Zhari District, in Kandahar Province of the Kingdom of Afghanistan. The UN has two estimates for his year of birth, being approximately 1945–1950 and approximately 1955–1958.{{Cite web|title=Security Council 1988 Committee Amends 105 Entries on Its Sanctions List {{!}} Meetings Coverage and Press Releases|url=https://www.un.org/press/en/2011/sc10465.doc.htm|access-date=2021-09-08|website=www.un.org|archive-date=6 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211006195627/https://www.un.org/press/en/2011/sc10465.doc.htm|url-status=live}}

He studied in various Islamic seminaries in Afghanistan.{{cite news|title=Profile: Who is Afghanistan's new caretaker prime minister?|url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/2319144/profile-who-is-afghanistans-new-caretaker-prime-minister|newspaper=The Express Tribune|date=2021-09-08|access-date=8 September 2021|archive-date=8 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210908140526/https://tribune.com.pk/story/2319144/profile-who-is-afghanistans-new-caretaker-prime-minister|url-status=live}} Unlike many Taliban leaders, Akhund did not participate in the Soviet–Afghan War.{{cite news|title=Explained: Who is Mullah Hasan Akhund? What does the Taliban's choice of interim prime minister mean for Afghanistan?|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/who-is-mullah-hasan-akhund-what-does-the-talibans-choice-of-interim-prime-minister-mean-for-afghanistan/article36353189.ece|newspaper=The Hindu|date=2021-09-08|access-date=2021-09-09|archive-date=8 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210908164835/https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/who-is-mullah-hasan-akhund-what-does-the-talibans-choice-of-interim-prime-minister-mean-for-afghanistan/article36353189.ece|url-status=live}}

Political career

Akhund is one of the oldest members of the Taliban, and was a close associate of Mohammed Omar, the first leader of the movement. 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.{{cite book |last=Adamec |first=Ludwig W. |year=2012 |title=Historical Dictionary of Afghanistan |edition=4th |isbn=9780810879577 |publisher=Scarecrow Press |page=69 |quote=[1999] 27 October: Mulla Mutawakil is named minister of foreign affairs, replacing Mulla Hasan Akhund.}} Like many other senior Taliban, he is subject to United Nations sanctions related to the sheltering of terrorist groups.{{cite news|title=Profile: Mohammad Hasan Akhund, the head of Taliban government|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/7/profile-mohammad-hassan-akhund-the-head-of-taliban-government|newspaper=Al-Jazeera|date=2021-09-07|access-date=7 September 2021|archive-date=20 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211120062550/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/7/profile-mohammad-hassan-akhund-the-head-of-taliban-government|url-status=live}}

During the period of insurgency (2001–2021), Akhund was intermittently a member of the Quetta Shura.{{cite book|author=Peter Bergen|title=Talibanistan|page=9|year=2013|publisher=Oxford University Press}} In 2013, he was the chief of the Taliban's commissions and the head of the recruitment commission.{{cite book|title=Waging Insurgent Warfare: Lessons from the Vietcong to the Islamic State|author=Seth G. Jones|year=2017|page=99|publisher=Oxford University Press}}

Following the Taliban's return to power in 2021, Akhund was appointed interim Prime Minister.{{Cite news|date=2021-09-07|title=Afghanistan: Who's who in the Taliban leadership|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-58235639|access-date=2021-09-19|archive-date=17 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220117113519/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-58235639|url-status=live}}{{cite news|last=Whiteside|first=Philip|date=7 September 2021|title=Afghanistan: Who's who in the new Taliban government|newspaper=Sky News|publisher=Sky UK|url=https://news.sky.com/story/afghanistan-whos-who-in-the-new-taliban-government-12401451|access-date=7 September 2021|archive-date=7 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210907194743/http://news.sky.com/story/afghanistan-whos-who-in-the-new-taliban-government-12401451|url-status=live}} His appointment was seen as a compromise between the Taliban's moderate and hardline figures.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-58479750|title=Hardliners get key posts in new Taliban government|publisher=BBC News|date=2021-09-07|access-date=7 September 2021|archive-date=7 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210907212403/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-58479750|url-status=live}} He took office on 7 September 2021.{{Cite news|title=گروه طالبان حکومت جدید خود را با رهبری ملا حسن اخوند اعلام کرد|newspaper=BBC News فارسی|url=https://www.bbc.com/persian/afghanistan-58477769|access-date=7 September 2021|archive-date=7 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210907202525/https://www.bbc.com/persian/afghanistan-58477769|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|date=7 September 2021|title=Taliban announce new government for Afghanistan|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-58479750|access-date=7 September 2021|archive-date=7 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210907212403/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-58479750|url-status=live}}

Additional information

Akhund is the author of several works on Islam. According to BBC News, he is more influential on the religious side of the Taliban, as opposed to the military side. A United States Institute of Peace analyst argued that he was more of a political person.{{cite news|author=Alasdair Pal|title=Factbox: Mohammad Hasan Akhund: Veteran Taliban leader becomes acting Afghan PM|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/mohammad-hasan-akhund-veteran-taliban-leader-becomes-acting-afghan-pm-2021-09-07/|publisher=Reuters|access-date=9 September 2021|archive-date=17 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210917061612/https://www.reuters.com/world/mohammad-hasan-akhund-veteran-taliban-leader-becomes-acting-afghan-pm-2021-09-07/|url-status=live}}

Notes

References

{{s-ttl|title=Deputy Prime Minister of Afghanistan|years=1996–2001|under=
Mohammad Rabbani {{nobold|(PM, 1996–2001)}}
Abdul Kabir {{nobold|(acting PM, 2001)}}}}

{{s-vac|next=Abdul Ghani Baradar {{nobold|(acting, 2021)}}
Abdul Salam Hanafi {{nobold|(acting, 2021)}}}}

{{s-vac|last=Abdul Kabir {{nobold|(acting, 2001)}}}}

{{s-ttl|title=Acting Prime Minister of Afghanistan|years=2021–present}}

Category:Afghan Sunni Muslims

Category:Prime ministers of Afghanistan

Category:Deputy prime ministers of Afghanistan

Category:Afghan Islamists

Category:Taliban government ministers of Afghanistan

Category:Pashtun people

Category:People from Kandahar Province

Category:Living people

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)