Mohammad Hasan Akhund

Muhammad Hasan Akhund Kakar (born ) is an Afghan politician and cleric who has been serving as the 27th prime minister of Afghanistan since 2025, having previously served in this role on an interim basis from 2021. A member of the Taliban, he has been a member of the Leadership Council since 2002, and previously served as deputy prime minister from 1996 to 2001, and the minister of foreign affairs from 1998 to 1999.

Akhund is one of the founding members of the Taliban and has been a senior leading member of the movement. In the first Taliban government (1996–2001), he served as the deputy foreign minister.

Early life and education Akhund is from southern Afghanistan. He belongs to the Kakar tribe of Pashtuns. Unlike many Taliban leaders, Akhund did not participate in the Soviet–Afghan War.

Political career Akhund is one of the oldest members of the Taliban, and was a close associate of Muhammad Omar, the first leader of the movement. Like many other senior Taliban members, he is subject to United Nations sanctions related to the sheltering of terrorist groups.

During the period of insurgency (2001–2021), Akhund was intermittently a member of the Quetta Shura. In 2013, he was the chief of the Taliban's commissions and the head of the recruitment commission.

Following the Taliban's return to power in 2021, Akhund was appointed interim Prime Minister. His appointment was seen as a compromise between the Taliban's moderate and hardline figures. He took office on 7 September 2021. Akhund was appointed as permanent prime minister on 15 August 2025.

Additional information Akhund is the author of several works on Islam.