The Taliban's new government in Afghanistan will be led by the Taliban leader Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, whose title is Amirul Momineen, the Taliban said on Wednesday.
Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman for the Taliban, said that the group will reject foreigners’ intervention over the name and structure of the next government.
“We will not allow anyone to interfere in Afghanistan’s affairs. The government name, its type, and form belong to the Afghans and they will decide,” Mujahid said.
The Taliban also said the new government is the “Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.”
“The new government in Afghanistan has officially started its work under the name of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,” said Anaamullah Samangani, a member of the Taliban’s cultural commission.
In the new cabinet announced on Tuesday, Mullah Hassan Akhundzada was appointed as the head of state (prime minister), with Mullah Baradar and Mawlawi Hannafi as his deputies.
A short biography of the key members:
Among those named for the new cabinet are members of the Taliban negotiating team in Qatar and some who were imprisoned in the US's Guantanamo detention center.
Mullah Hassan Akhundzada, 65, who is the Prime Minister (head of state) is originally from Shah Walikot district of Kandahar province. Akhundzada held various posts during the first Taliban regime--lasting between 1996 and 2001--such as foreign minister, governor of Kandahar and as a military official in the north of Afghanistan.
Abdul Ghani Barader, 45, a co-founder of the Taliban led by Mullah Omar, is from Dehrawood district of Uruzgan province. He graduated from a religious madrasa.
Mawlawi Mohammad Yaqoob, acting minister for the Defense Ministry, is the son of Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar. He is 25 years old and from Dehrawood district in Uruzgan.
The acting Director of Intelligence is Abdul Haq Wasiq, 49, from Khogyani district in Ghazni. He graduated from a madrasa in Quetta, Pakistan. Wasiq was in the US's Guantanamo detention center for 13 years and worked as deputy director of intelligence in the previous Taliban regime.
The acting minister of interior, Serajuddin Haqqani, is the son of the late Jalaluddin Haqqani, who led the Haqqani Network.
Mullah Amir Khan Mutaqi, acting minister for foreign affairs, is from Zurmat district of Paktia province. He was working as minister of information and culture in the first Taliban regime.
The acting minister of information and culture, Mullah Khairullah Khairkhah, 53, is from Kandahar province. He spent 12 years in Guantanamo.
The acting minister of justice, Mawllawi Abdul Hakim Haqqani, 53, is from Maiwand district of Kandahar. He graduated from a Pakistani madrasa and worked in judicial organizations.
The acting minister of borders and tribal affairs, Mullah Noorullah Noori, 53, is from Zabul Province. He was governor of Balkh and Laghman provinces in the first Taliban regime. He spent 13 years in Guantanamo.
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