Born in the province of Uruzgan, in his fifties, he is one of the co-founders of the extremist movement. His nickname Baradar, brother, was given to him by the first commander in chief. “The people I spoke to in Uruzgan described him as the smart guy behind the charismatic Mullah Omar,” says Willem Vogelsang.
Since the late 1970s, the Dutchman has spent many years in Afghanistan as a journalist, archaeologist and soldier. “Baradar was known to be relatively moderate within the Taliban. He has always been involved in all kinds of negotiations.” He also reportedly negotiated with the first Afghan government after the 2001 Western invasion.
Baradar was arrested by Pakistan in 2010 and released in 2018. He was subsequently appointed Chief of the Political Mission in Doha, Qatar. From Oslo in Norway to Tianjin, China, he spoke to senior representatives for international recognition.
According to analysts, that political experience makes him a logical choice for the presidency. But on paper, the next leader is still the supreme leader.
‘Relentless Judge’ Haibatullah Akhundzada
Since 2016, this Orthodox cleric has been the supreme leader. “In the 1990s, he was already the top legal chief of the Taliban,” says Vogelsang. At the time, he was a “ruthless judge who ordered executions,” writes news channel Al Jazeera.
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