Suhail Shaheen
{{Short description|Afghanistan spokesman and diplomat}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| birth_name = Muhammad Suhail Shaheen
| name =
| image = Suhail Shaheen (2019).jpg
| caption = Shaheen in 2019
| office = Head of the Political Office
| term_start = 23 February 2022
| predecessor = Abdul Ghani Baradar
| 1blankname = Supreme Leader
| 1namedata = Hibatullah Akhundzada
| office2 = First Secretary of the Afghan Embassy in Qatar
| term_start2 = 27 January 2025{{cite web |title=Shaheen: Islamic Emirate Seeks Resolution of Differences Through Dialogue |url=https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-192806 |website=TOLOnews |access-date=2025-01-29}}
| term_end2 =
| predecessor2 = Naeem Wardak
| successor2 =
| birth_place = Paktia Province, Afghanistan
| blank1 = Political affiliation
| data1 = Taliban
| alma_mater = International Islamic University, Islamabad
| native_name_lang = ps
| native_name = {{nobold|سهیل شاهین}}
}}
Muhammad Suhail Shaheen (Pashto/Dari: {{Lang|ps|محمد سهیل شاهین}}, {{IPA|ps|mʊˈhamad sʊˈhel ʃaˈhin}}, {{IPA|prs|mʊˈhammad sʊˈheːl ʃaˈhiːn}}) is a Taliban member who is currently the head of the Afghan embassy in Qatar and the head of the Political Office in Doha.{{cite news |title=Shaheen Appointed Head of Doha Office |url=https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-176837 |access-date=21 June 2022 |work=TOLOnews |date=26 February 2022}} He edited the English-language, state-owned Afghan newspaper The Kabul Times during the first Taliban regime, before being appointed to Afghanistan's Embassy in Pakistan as a deputy ambassador.{{Cite web|title=Database|url=http://www.afghan-bios.info/index.php?option=com_afghanbios&id=2464&task=view&total=22&start=14&Itemid=2|access-date=16 July 2021|website=www.afghan-bios.info}}
The Taliban-led government appointed him as the Permanent Representative of Afghanistan to the United Nations in September 2021, but the UN rejected his appointment to the post.
Early life
File:Secretary Pompeo Meets With the Taliban Delegation (50333305012).jpg (2nd left) and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (4th left), accompanying Abdul Ghani Baradar and Abdul Hakim Ishaqzai (5th and 6th left)]]
Suhail was born in the Paktia Province of Afghanistan. He was educated in Pakistan, and he is known to be a prolific writer and fluent speaker of English and Urdu in addition to his native Pashto. Suhail studied at the International Islamic University Islamabad{{Cite web|url=http://www.afghan-bios.info/index.php?option=com_afghanbios&id=2464&task=view&total=22&start=14&Itemid=2|title=Database|website=www.afghan-bios.info}} and Kabul University.
Career
During the period of the Taliban's original Islamic Emirate (1996–2001), Shaheen served as Afghanistan's Deputy Ambassador at the Afghan Embassy in Pakistan.{{cite web | title=Suhail Shaheen | website=Conciliation Resources | url=https://www.c-r.org/people-profiles/suhail-shaheen | access-date=15 August 2021}} During the later phase of the Taliban's insurgency (2013–2021), he served as one of the Taliban's official spokesmen at their political office in Doha, where he gave many interviews to international media channels.{{Cite web|date=22 September 2021|title=Meet Suhail Shaheen: Taliban's 'soft-spoken, calm' spokesperson named as UN envoy|url=https://www.firstpost.com/world/meet-suhail-shaheen-talibans-soft-spoken-calm-spokesperson-named-as-un-envoy-9986771.html|access-date=24 September 2021|website=Firstpost}}
On 20 September 2021, the Taliban-led government of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan nominated him to become Afghanistan's official envoy to the United Nations. Shaheen however would be unable to take over the post unless the United Nations Credentials Committee accepts Shaheen's appointment.{{cite news|first=Michelle|last=Nichols|editor1-first=Mary|editor1-last=Milliken|editor2-first=Grant|editor2-last=McCool|title=Exclusive: Taliban names Afghan U.N. envoy, asks to speak to world leaders|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/exclusive-taliban-names-afghan-un-envoy-asks-speak-world-leaders-2021-09-21/|date=21 September 2021|access-date=22 September 2021|work=Reuters|url-access=registration}} The UN has rejected recognizing Shaheen as the official Afghan representative and instead recognizes Muhammad Wali Naeemi, the ambassador of the now-ousted government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.{{cite news|url=https://www.khaama.com/muhammad-wali-naeemi-appointed-afghanistans-permanent-envoy-to-un-6758976/|title=Muhammad Wali Naeemi appointed Afghanistan's Permanent envoy to UN|author=Najibullah Lalzoy|work=Khaama Press|date=9 February 2022|access-date=7 August 2022}}
In October 2021, Shaheen rejected American help in fighting the Islamic State – Khorasan Province, saying, "We are able to tackle Daesh independently."{{Cite web|author=Kathy Gannon (Associated Press)|date=2021-10-09|title=Taliban say they won't work with US to contain Islamic State|url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/taliban-say-they-wont-work-with-us-to-contain-islamic-state|access-date=2021-10-13|website=PBS NewsHour|language=en-us}}
In January 2025, he was appointed head of the Doha embassy after Mohammad Naeem Wardak was recalled to Kabul.{{cite web |title=Taliban Confirms Afghanistan International's Report On Appointment Of New Deputy FM |url=https://www.afintl.com/en/202501278546 |publisher=Afghanistan International |access-date=2025-01-27}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Twitter|id=suhailshaheen1|name=Suhail Shaheen. محمد سهیل شاهین}}
- [https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-asia-58223530 Afghanistan: Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen calls the BBC – interview in full], BBC News, 15 August 2021
{{Taliban}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shaheen, Suhail}}
Category:Taliban spokespersons
Category:People from Paktia Province
Category:Afghan expatriates in Pakistan
Category:Kabul University alumni
Category:International Islamic University, Islamabad alumni