Who is the main leader of the Taliban in Afghanistan? These 4 are very important

Who is the main leader of the Taliban in Afghanistan? These 4 are very important

　　 [Text/Observer Network Liu Qian] The Afghan Taliban took control of the capital Kabul on the 15th. President Ghani said that he "leaves" abroad. The war in Afghanistan seems to be coming to an end. However, for many people, Atta is still an unfamiliar term, and their leadership structure and internal operations are still very mysterious.

According to reports from Reuters, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), and Al Jazeera, the Afghan Taliban originated from Muslim guerrillas who were supported by the United States against the Soviet Union in the 1980s. They grew into a faction in the Afghan Civil War in 1994. In 1996, he controlled most of Afghanistan and established an Islamic emirate with a unity of politics and religion until it was overthrown by the US army in 2001. Its founder and first-generation supreme leader was Mohammad Omar (Mohammad Omar), who died in 2013.

Atta’s current leadership structure is in the shape of a pyramid. The third-generation supreme leader, Haibatura Ahunzada, is at the top, with three deputy leaders in charge of political, military, and religious affairs. There is one senior leader. The judge is responsible for judicial supervision.

　　 In addition, there are 17 committees responsible for military, intelligence, political, and economic affairs. Among them, the Doha Political Office under the Political Committee is responsible for peace negotiations.

Picture from BBC, Sinicization/Liu Qian Picture from BBC, Sinicization/Liu Qian

　　 Supreme Leader Haibatura Ahunzada

　　Haibatullah Akhundzada (Haibatullah Akhundzada) is currently the highest leader of the Taliban in Afghanistan, and is also known as the "loyal leader". Ahunzada is a scholar of Islamic law, he is in charge of the ultimate power of Atta to organize political, religious and military affairs. In May 2016, Akhtar Mansour, the former supreme leader of the Taliban, died in a U.S. drone bombing, and Ahunzada formally took over as the supreme leader of the Taliban.

Ahunzada is a Pashtun. He was born in 1961 in Kandahar province in southern Afghanistan. He joined the Taliban in Afghanistan in 1994. He was later appointed by Omar as the head of the Kandahar Military Tribunal. After Atta captured Kabul in 1996, Ahunzada was killed. Appointed as the Chief Judge of the Islamic Sharia Court of the "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan" and led the formulation of most of the Taliban's decrees.

　　 Ahunzada taught and preached in a mosque in Kuchlak in southwestern Pakistan for 15 years before he officially took over in 2016. In addition, he also served as deputy to Mansour, the former supreme leader of the Taliban.

The supreme leader of the Taliban in Afghanistan, Haibatullah Ahunzada, pictured from social media. The supreme leader of the Taliban in Afghanistan, Haibatullah Ahunzada, pictured from social media.

According to Al Jazeera’s Afghanistan correspondent, Qais Azimy, Ahunzada has high prestige within the Taliban. “He is not a newcomer in the Taliban leadership. He once served as Mansour’s second deputy. …He is very respected, older than Omar, in fact Omar calls him his own teacher." Azmi also believes that Ahunzada's appointment can promote unity within the Taliban.

　　Akbar Agha, a branch leader who has left the Taliban, told Al Jazeera that Ahhunzada was known for being ruthless when he was a judge in Kandahar. He is the traditional jihadist. Sami Yousafzai, an Afghan expert who has met with Mansour and Ahhunzada many times, said that within the Taliban, Ahunzada is very "conservative" and "dislikes taking pictures." Well-known.

　　 "Political Deputy" Baradar

　　 Abdul Ghani Baradar (Abdul Ghani Baradar) was born in 1968 in Uruzgan Province, southern Afghanistan. He and Omar are the co-founders of the Taliban and are now Atta’s deputy leader in charge of political affairs.

　　 Among the leaders of Atta, Baradar has attracted the attention of the outside world because of his frequent appearances.

On the evening of August 15, local time, Baradar issued a statement stating that the Taliban’s recent military victory was beyond imagination and an unparalleled achievement. But for the Taliban, how to effectively govern the country and solve the problems faced by the Afghan people, Satisfying their wishes is the real test, and the test has just begun.

　　 Reuters reported that Baradar was one of Omar’s most trusted commanders during his lifetime. He was arrested in Karachi, Pakistan in 2010, and then released in 2018.

　　 Agence France-Presse said that because the Taliban factions can listen to his opinions and respect him, he was later appointed as the head of the Taliban’s political committee. He represented the Taliban in Doha, Qatar, in negotiations with the Americans, which led to the final withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan, and then peace negotiations with the Afghan government, but there was no result.

Baradar, the deputy political leader of the Taliban in Afghanistan, pictured from CCTV News, Baradar, the deputy political leader of the Taliban in Afghanistan, pictured from CCTV News

On July 28, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Baradal, the head of the Atta Political Committee, in Tianjin. The picture is from the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. On July 28, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Baradal, the head of the Atta Political Committee, in Tianjin. The picture is from the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

　　According to the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on July 28, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met in Tianjin with the visiting head of the Afghan Taliban Political Committee Baradar and his party. The heads of the Atta Religious Committee and the Propaganda Committee traveled with each other. Subsequently, Assistant Foreign Minister Wu Jianghao also held talks with Baradar and his party.

　　 Baradar said at the time that China has always been a trustworthy and good friend of the Afghan people, and Ata will never allow any force to use Afghan territory to do things that endanger China. Atta hopes that China will participate more in the Afghan peace reconstruction process and play a greater role in Afghan reconstruction and economic development in the future.

　　 "Son of Omar" Ye Er Gubai

Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob (Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob) is the son of Omar, the original leader of the Taliban. Now he is the head of the Taliban Military Committee and the deputy leader of Atta in charge of military affairs.

　　 Reuters reported that because of his status as the eldest son of Omar, Ye Er Gubai was once recommended as the candidate for the top leader of the Taliban. However, according to a Taliban officer, at the 2016 election meeting, he recommended Ahunzada as the new leader and said that he was too young and lacked battlefield experience.

　　 According to Al Jazeera’s earlier report, at the election meeting, Yeer Gubai and Sirazuddin Haqqani were selected as the deputy leaders of the Taliban.

　　 The British "Daily Telegraph" stated that Yeer Gubai was appointed chairman of the Taliban Military Committee in May 2020 and became the military leader of the Taliban in Afghanistan. "Foreign Policy" quoted a senior Taliban commander on May 29 as saying that after Ahhunzada was infected with the new crown virus, Yere became the acting leader of the Taliban. He said: "Our hero, we are great. The son of his son. In the absence of Ahhunzada, leader Ye Er Gubai is managing the entire Taliban operation."

Atta’s deputy leader in charge of military affairs, Ye Er, is lonely, pictured from social media. Atta’s deputy leader in charge of military affairs, Ye Er, is lonely, pictured from social media.

　　 "Steward" Shirazuddin Haqqani

　　 Sirajuddin Haqqani is the son of Jalaluddin Haqqani, a famous anti-Soviet commander in Afghanistan. Jalaluddin is also the founder of the Haqqani Network, an armed organization affiliated with the Taliban. After Jalaluddin died of illness in 2018, Sirajuddin took over to lead the organization. Today, Silazuddin is one of the three deputy leaders of the Taliban in Afghanistan.

　　 According to Reuters, the "Haqqani Network" is currently entrenched on the borders of Pakistan and Afghanistan, active in the Afghan capital Kabul and the border provinces on the eastern border with Pakistan, and is responsible for overseeing the financial and military assets of the Taliban on the border. Shiraz was therefore regarded by the outside world as the "steward" of the Taliban.

　　 Agence France-Presse stated that the "Haqqani Network" was classified by Washington as a terrorist organization, and Washington has always considered it to be one of the most dangerous factions that have fought the US and NATO forces in Afghanistan in the past two decades. The organization is known for using suicide bombings, and it has participated in some of the most violent attacks in Afghanistan in recent years.

It is also accused of assassinating senior Afghan officials and holding Westerners as hostages and then releasing them in exchange for ransom or prisoners. For example, American soldier Bowe Robert Bergdahl was released in 2014 in exchange for five of Guantanamo Bay. Afghans.

"Haqqani Network" leader Shirazuddin Haqqani, screenshot of the interview video. "Haqqani Network" leader Shirazuddin Haqqani, screenshot of the interview video.

　　 "Senior Judge" Abdul Hakim Haqqani

　　 Abdul Hakim Haqqani (Abdul Hakim Haqqani) is currently responsible for overseeing the Taliban’s judicial structure and leading the Taliban’s peace negotiations in Doha. According to Reuters, he once served as the shadow chief judge of the Taliban, led a powerful committee of religious scholars, and is the person most trusted by the current supreme leader, Ahunzada.

　　 According to The Week, Abdul Hakim Haqqani was appointed as the head of the Taliban’s Doha peace talks in September 2020. After the Taliban lost power in 2001, he lurked for a while in an Islamic college in Quetta, Pakistan.

Abdul Hakim Haqqani, pictured from social media. Abdul Hakim Haqqani, pictured from social media.

　　As the situation in Afghanistan gradually became clear, Atta announced the establishment of the "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan" and announced some new policies one after another. Atta spokesperson Sohail Shaheen also revealed that the new Afghan government will include non-Taliban Afghans in the future.

　　 In the early morning of the 16th local time, Afghan Taliban leader Baradal delivered a video speech to celebrate the "unexpected victory". However, he immediately warned the Taliban that "the time of test has just begun." After that, how to effectively govern the country, solve the problems faced by the Afghan people, and satisfy their wishes is the real test.