Mullah Yaqoob

Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid[1] (Pashto/Dari: محمد یعقوب, Pashto pronunciation: [mʊˈhamad jaˈqub], Dari pronunciation: [mʊˈhammad jaːˈqʊb]; born 1990) is an Afghan commander and cleric who is the second deputy leader of Afghanistan and the acting defense minister. He has been a deputy leader of the Taliban since 2016, and was additionally appointed to his ministerial role after the Taliban's victory over Western-backed forces in the 2001–2021 war. He has been the Taliban's military chief since 2020.

"Mohammad Yaqoob" redirects here. For the governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, see Muhammad Yaqub. For the Pakistani Olympic hurdler, see Muhammad Yaqub (athlete).

Mohammad Yaqoob
محمد یعقوب
Yaqoob in 2022
Minister of Defense
Acting
Assumed office
7 September 2021
Prime MinisterHasan Akhund (acting)
DeputyMohammad Fazl (acting)
Abdul Qayyum Zakir (acting)
Supreme LeaderHibatullah Akhundzada
Preceded byAbdul Qayyum Zakir (acting)
Second Deputy Leader of Afghanistan
Assumed office
15 August 2021
Supreme LeaderHibatullah Akhundzada
Preceded bySarwar Danish (as Second Vice President)
In exile
25 May 2016 – 15 August 2021
Supreme LeaderHibatullah Akhundzada
Preceded bySirajuddin Haqqani
Head of the Military Affairs Commission
Assumed office
15 August 2021
In exile
7 May 2020 – 15 August 2021
DeputyIbrahim Sadr
Preceded byIbrahim Sadr
Personal details
Born1990 (age 32–33)
NationalityAfghan
Parent
EthnicityPashtun
ReligionSunni Islam
Political affiliationTaliban
Military service
AllegianceIslamic Emirate of Afghanistan
Branch/service
Commands
  • Deputy Head of the Military Affairs Commission (Southwestern Zone) (2016–2020)
  • Head of the Military Affairs Commission (2020–present)
Battles/warsWar in Afghanistan (2001–2021)

Biography

Mullah Yaqoob is an ethnic Pashtun of the Hotak tribe, which is part of the larger Ghilji branch. He is the eldest son of the late Taliban founder Mohammed Omar.[2] 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]

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 the second deputy to the Taliban chief.[6][7]

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.[8] 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 and First Deputy Leader Sirajuddin Haqqani became ill with COVID-19, stating "Our hero, the son of our great leader, Mullah Yaqoob, is running the entire Taliban operation in Haibatullah's absence."[9]

Provisional Taliban government

Yaqoob is the acting defense minister of Afghanistan in the Caretaker Cabinet of the Islamic Emirate, appointed on 7 September 2021.[10]

In December 2022, Yaqoob met with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi. They discussed strengthening of relations between the UAE and Afghanistan.[11][12]

Views

Mohammed Yaqoob supported a negotiated settlement to the War in Afghanistan. An avid supporter of former leader of the Taliban Akhtar Mansour, Yaqoob is pro-Saudi, has a reputation as a peace-advocating moderate, and is believed to have ties with the former government of Afghanistan.[13] He also believes that the enforcement of Sharia should co-exist with basic international norms.[14] Yaqoob also favours diplomatic reproach with India and is sceptical of Pakistani involvement in the Taliban.

References
  1. "Acting Defense Minister visits 205th Al-Badr corps". Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan – Voice of Jihad. Helmand. 13 March 2022. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
  2. "Database". www.afghan-bios.info. Archived from the original on 6 September 2018. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  3. Khan, Tahir (10 May 2020). "Mullah Omar's eldest son takes control of Taliban's military wing". Arab News. Archived from the original on 15 May 2020. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  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 7 December 2022.
  5. "Senior Taliban military position given to Mullah Omar's son Mullah Yaqoob". Pakistan Today. 5 April 2016. Archived from the original on 29 May 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  6. Gul, Ayaz (25 May 2016). "Taliban Names New Leader, Confirms Mansoor Death". Voice of America VOA News. Archived from the original on 26 May 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  7. "Taliban in Afghanistan: who is in charge?". The National. 18 August 2021. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  8. Farmer, Ben (7 May 2020). "Taliban founder's son appointed military chief of insurgents". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 12 May 2020. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  9. O'Donnell, Lynne; Khan, Mirwais (29 May 2020). "Taliban Leadership in Disarray on Verge of Peace Talks". Foreign Policy. Archived from the original on 7 June 2020. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  10. "Hardliners get key posts in new Taliban government". BBC News. 7 September 2021. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  11. Safi, Zameer (6 December 2022). "Mawlawi Yaqoob Meets with UAE President". TOLOnews. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  12. "Taliban acting defence minister holds talks with UAE president". Reuters. Kabul. 5 December 2022. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  13. Bezhan, Frud (27 August 2021). "The Rise Of Mullah Yaqoob, The Taliban's New Military Chief". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  14. Malhotra, Jyoti (15 December 2022). "Taliban stands divided. Why it has implications for the world and India". ThePrint. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
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