Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund is a founding figure among the Taliban’s original 30 members and has long served as a key member of the Taliban Leadership Council. He has served in the current Taliban administration as (acting) prime minister since September 2021.
His influence within the Taliban movement has been longstanding, including serving as a close confidant and advisor to the late Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar. He is known for his uncompromising religious stance.
Between 1996 and 2001, he held key roles in the Taliban regime, including first deputy of the Council of Ministers, foreign minister, and governor of Kandahar province. According to public reports, his tenure as foreign minister included a March 1998 incident in which he physically confronted a UN employee during a meeting and threw a teapot at him, which later led to the withdrawal of UN expatriate staff from Kandahar.
Earlier, he participated in the anti-Soviet jihad, including through the Hezb-e-Islami (Khalis) group. He has also been associated with support for the destruction of the Buddhas of Bamyan. After the August 1998 U.S. embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania by al-Qaeda, he was among senior Taliban leaders who refused to hand over Osama bin Laden who had relocated to Afghanistan, stating: “We will never give up Osama at any price.”
He has maintained significant ties with Pakistan and his reputation within Taliban circles has been described in some reporting as “one of the most ineffective and unreasonable leaders.” Reports have additionally characterized him as having a short temper and erratic behavior.
On 17 May 2023, he briefly stepped down from his prime ministerial role due to illness, delegating responsibilities to his then-deputy prime minister Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, before later resuming his role. The Council of Ministers functions as the Taliban's highest executive and administrative body, overseeing government ministries and policy implementation.
Born in the mid-1950s, Hassan Akhund holds Afghan passport number P04581926 (issued August 7, 2024 in Kandahar; expiring August 2034). He is among the Taliban leaders sanctioned by the United Nations Security Council under the designation TAi.002.
