Mohammad Yaqoob

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This article is about the Afghan Minister of Defense. For the governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, see Muhammad Yaqub. For the Pakistani Olympic hurdler, see Muhammad Yaqub (athlete).
Mullah
Mohammad Yaqoob
ملا محمد یعقوب اخوند
Minister of Defense
Acting
Assumed office
7 September 2021
DeputyMohammad Fazl (acting)
Abdul Qayyum Zakir (acting)
Supreme LeaderHibatullah Akhundzada
Prime MinisterHasan Akhund (acting)
Preceded byAbdul Qayyum Zakir (acting)
Personal details
Born1990 (age 31–32)
NationalityAfghanistan
Political partyTaliban
Parent(s)
Military service
Allegiance Taliban (Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan)
Branch/service
  • Military Affairs Commission of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (2016–2021)
  • Badge of the Islamic Emirate Army.png Islamic Emirate Army (2021–present)
Commands
  • Deputy Head of the Military Affairs Commission (Southwestern Zone) (2016-2020)
  • Head of the Military Affairs Commission (2020-present)
Battles/warsWar in Afghanistan (2001–2020)

Mohammad Yaqoob (Pashto/Dari: محمد يعقوب, Pashto pronunciation: [mʊˈhamad jaˈqub], Dari pronunciation: [mʊˈhammad jaːˈqʊb]; born 1990) is the eldest son of Mohammed Omar, who was the Afghan mujahideen commander, founder of the Taliban and Emir (Supreme Leader) of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.[1] He is one of two deputies to the current supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada.

On 7 September, following the collapse of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid announced the new interim cabinet, whereby Mullah Yaqoob was appointed as the Defense Minister of Afghanistan.[2]

Biography[]

Yaqoob is an ethnic Pashtun of the Hotak tribe, which is part of the larger Ghilzai branch. He received his religious education in various seminaries in Karachi, Pakistan.[3]

When his father died in April 2013 and rumors escalated that he had been assassinated by rival Akhtar Mansour, Yaqoob denied the rumor, insisting that his father had died of natural causes.[4] However, Yaqoob reportedly refused to support Mansour's appointment as leader of the Taliban organization on 29 July 2015. He was unwilling himself to accept a top position in the group.

Leadership positions[]

In 2016, Yaqoob was assigned by the Taliban to be in charge of the military commission in 15 of Afghanistan's 34 provinces. The military commission, then headed by Ibrahim Sadr, is responsible for overseeing all military affairs of the Taliban. In addition, Yaqoob was included in the Taliban's top decision-making council, the Rehbari Shura.[5]

Mansour's death was announced on 21 May 2016 and he was replaced by Hibatullah Akhundzada as the Taliban leader. Sirajuddin Haqqani, a deputy to Mansour and leader of the Haqqani network, retained his position as Taliban deputy leader to Akhundzada, and Yaqoob was appointed as a second deputy to the Taliban chief.[6]

COVID-19 pandemic[]

On 7 May 2020 he was appointed head of the Taliban military commission, replacing Sadr and making Yaqoob the insurgents' military chief.[7] On 29 May 2020, influential senior Taliban commander Mualana Muhammad Ali Jan Ahmed told Foreign Policy that Yaqoob became the acting leader to the entire Taliban after Akhundzada became infected with COVID-19, stating "Our hero, the son of our great leader, Mullah Yaqoob, is running the entire Taliban operation in Haibatullah's absence."[8]

Views[]

Mohammed Yaqoob supported a negotiated settlement to the War in Afghanistan. He was an avid supporter of the former leader of the Taliban, and pro-Saudi, and its rumored he has ties with them, including the former government of Afghanistan, due to his support of peace and being a moderate.[9]

References[]

  1. ^ "Database". www.afghan-bios.info. Archived from the original on 2018-09-06. Retrieved 2018-10-04.
  2. ^ "Hardliners get key posts in new Taliban government". BBC News. 7 September 2021. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  3. ^ Khan, Tahir (10 May 2020). "Mullah Omar's eldest son takes control of Taliban's military wing". Arab News. Retrieved 31 August 2021. Archived 2020-05-15 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ Ahmad, Jibran (14 September 2015). "Taliban's Mullah Omar died of natural causes in Afghanistan, son says". Reuters. Archived from the original on 7 December 2015. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
  5. ^ "Senior Taliban military position given to Mullah Omar's son Mullah Yaqoob". Pakistan Today. April 5, 2016. Archived from the original on May 29, 2016. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  6. ^ Gul, Ayaz (May 25, 2016). "Taliban Names New Leader, Confirms Mansoor Death". Voice of America VOA News. Archived from the original on May 26, 2016. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  7. ^ Farmer, Ben (7 May 2020). "Taliban founder's son appointed military chief of insurgents". The Telegraph. Retrieved 31 August 2021. Archived 2020-05-12 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ O'Donnell, Lynne; Khan, Mirwais (29 May 2020). "Taliban Leadership in Disarray on Verge of Peace Talks". Foreign Policy. Archived from the original on 2020-06-07. Retrieved 2020-06-07.
  9. ^ Bezhan, Frud (August 27, 2021). "The Rise Of Mullah Yaqoob, The Taliban's New Military Chief". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
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