Hibatullah Akhundzada
Updated: 12/10/2025, 10:57:26 AM Wikipedia source
Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada (Pashto; Dari: هبت الله آخندزاده, born 19 October 1967), also alternatively spelled as Haibatullah Akhunzada, is an Afghan cleric who is the supreme leader of Afghanistan under the Taliban government. He has led the Taliban since 2016, and came to power with its victory over U.S.-backed forces in the 2001–2021 war. A highly reclusive figure, he has almost no digital footprint except for an unverified photograph and several audio recordings of speeches. Akhundzada is well known for his fatwas on Taliban matters. Unlike many Taliban leaders, Akhundzada did not have any experience in actual combat, although one of his sons was a suicide bomber. He was an Islamic judge of the Sharia courts of the 1996–2001 Taliban government. He was chosen to lead the Taliban’s shadow court system at the start of the Taliban insurgency, and remained in that post until being elected supreme leader of the Taliban in May 2016. Ayman al-Zawahiri, the leader of al-Qaeda, backed Akhundzada as the Amir al-Mu'minin, which strengthened Akhundzada's jihadist reputation among the Taliban's allies. In 2019, Akhundzada appointed Abdul Ghani Baradar to lead peace talks with the U.S., which led to the 2020 signing of the Doha Agreement that cleared the way for the full withdrawal of United States troops from Afghanistan. Akhundzada led the Taliban to victory against the Afghan government in a 2021 military offensive—while the U.S. withdrawal was still underway—then became Afghanistan's absolute ruler and imposed a totalitarian Islamist government. His rule has been criticized for sweeping infringements on human rights, including the rights of women and girls to work and pursue education. On his orders, the Taliban administration has prevented most teenage girls from returning to secondary school education. In July 2025, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Akhundzada over the alleged persecution of women in Afghanistan.
Infobox
Prime Minister
Hasan Akhund
Deputy
Sirajuddin HaqqaniMullah YaqoobAbdul Ghani Baradar
Preceded by
Noor Mohammad Saqib
Supreme Leader
Mullah Omar
Succeeded by
Abdul Hakim Haqqani
Born
(1967-10-19) 19 October 1967 (age 58)[a]Panjwayi District, Kandahar Province, Afghanistan
Residence
Kandahar
Ethnicity
Pashtun
Tribe
Durrani (Abdali)
Political affiliation
Taliban
Allegiance
Hezb-i Islami KhalisIslamic Emirate of Afghanistan
Branch/service
1979–19921996–2021
Battles/wars
Soviet–Afghan WarAfghan Civil War (1996–2001)War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
Religion
Islam
Denomination
Sunni
Jurisprudence
Hanafi
Creed
Maturidi
Movement
Deobandi
Tables
· External links
Preceded byNoor Mohammad Saqib
Preceded byNoor Mohammad Saqib
Legal offices
Preceded byNoor Mohammad Saqib
Legal offices
– In exile –Chief Justice of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan 2001–2016
Legal offices
Succeeded byAbdul Hakim Haqqani
Political offices
Political offices
Legal offices
Political offices
Preceded byAkhtar Mansour
Preceded byAkhtar Mansour
Legal offices
Preceded byAkhtar Mansour
Legal offices
– In exile –First Deputy Leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan 2015–2016with Sirajuddin Haqqani Served under: Akhtar Mansour
Legal offices
Succeeded bySirajuddin Haqqani
Preceded byAshraf Ghani (2021)as PresidentAkhtar Mansour (2016)
Preceded byAshraf Ghani (2021)as PresidentAkhtar Mansour (2016)
Legal offices
Preceded byAshraf Ghani (2021)as PresidentAkhtar Mansour (2016)
Legal offices
Supreme Leader of Afghanistan 2021–presentIn exile2016–2021
Legal offices
Incumbent
| Legal offices | ||
| Preceded byNoor Mohammad Saqib | – In exile –Chief Justice of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan 2001–2016 | Succeeded byAbdul Hakim Haqqani |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded byAkhtar Mansour | – In exile –First Deputy Leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan 2015–2016with Sirajuddin Haqqani Served under: Akhtar Mansour | Succeeded bySirajuddin Haqqani |
| Preceded byAshraf Ghani (2021)as PresidentAkhtar Mansour (2016) | Supreme Leader of Afghanistan 2021–presentIn exile2016–2021 | Incumbent |
References
- Birth year is disputed and ranges from 1959 to 1961, the ICC places his birth date on either 19 or 20 October 1967
- mw- .mw-parser-output .references .IPA-label-small,.mw- Pashto pronunciation: [ʔi.ba.t̪u.lɑ ʔɑx.wən̪d̪.zɑ.da, hi.ba.t̪ul
- Dari pronunciation: [ʔɪ.bä.t̪ʰʊl.lɑ́ː ʔɑː.xuːn̪d̪.zɑ́ː.dá, hi.bä.t̪ʰʊl.lɑ́ːʱ ʔɑː.xuːn̪d̪.zɑ.d̪á]
- Sources describing his government as totalitarian:
- Voice of Americahttps://www.voanews.com/a/unseen-taliban-leader-wields-godlike-powers-in-afghanistan-/7026112.html
- Agence France-Pressehttps://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20211203-dead-or-alive-on-the-trail-of-the-taliban-s-supreme-leader
- Gandharahttps://gandhara.rferl.org/a/akhundzada-taliban-supreme-leader/31448314.html
- TOLOnewshttps://tolonews.com/pa/afghanistan-175251
- The Killid Grouphttps://tkg.af/pashto/2021/12/30/%D8%AF-%D8%B9%D9%81%D9%88%DB%90-%D9%BE%D8%B1-%D8%B9%D9%85%D9%84%D9%8A-%DA%A9%DB%90%D8%AF%D9%88-%D8%AF-%D9%87%D8%A8%D8%AA-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D9%87-%D8%A7%D8%AE%D9%86%D8%AF%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%87/
- Deutsche Welle Pashtohttps://www.dw.com/ps/%D8%B7%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%88-%D8%AA%D9%87-%D8%AF-%D9%85%D9%84%D8%A7-%D9%87%D9%8A%D8%A8%D8%AA-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D9%87-%D8%AE%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1%DB%8C-%D8%AE%D9%BE%D9%84-%D8%B5%D9%81%D9%88%D9%86%D9%87-%D9%85%D9%88-%D9%84%D9%87-%D9%86%D9%81%D9%88%D8%B0%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%88-%D9%BE%D8%A7%DA%A9-%DA%A9%DA%93%D8%A6/a-59721503
- Voice of Americahttps://www.voanews.com/a/unseen-taliban-leader-wields-godlike-powers-in-afghanistan-/7026112.html
- Radio Free Europe/Radio Libertyhttps://www.rferl.org/a/taliban-appoints-new-political-leader-amid-peace-talks-with-u-s-/29729268.html
- France24https://www.france24.com/en/asia-pacific/20210819-who-are-the-taliban-leaders-ruling-afghanistan
- Journal of Asian Security and International Affairshttps://doi.org/10.1177%2F23477970221130882
- Middle East Institutehttps://www.mei.edu/publications/dysfunctional-centralization-and-growing-fragility-under-taliban-rule
- Fair Observerhttps://www.fairobserver.com/region/central_south_asia/omar-sadr-afghanistan-taliban-rule-totalitarianism-human-rights-news-2441/
- Atlantic Councilhttps://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/southasiasource/dismantlement-of-the-taliban-regime-is-the-only-way-forward-for-afghanistan/
- George Washington Universityhttps://web.archive.org/web/20230114164914/https://extremism.gwu.edu/risks-facing-hazaras-taliban-ruled-afghanistan
- www.alestiklal.nethttp://www.alestiklal.net/en/article/the-story-of-haibatullah-akhundzadas-rise-to-the-highest-position-of-the-taliban-movement
- الجزيرة نتhttps://www.aljazeera.net/encyclopedia/2021/10/31/%D8%A3%D9%88%D9%84-%D8%B8%D9%87%D9%88%D8%B1-%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%86%D9%8A-%D9%84%D8%A3%D9%85%D9%8A%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D8%B1%D9%83%D8%A9-%D9%85%D9%86-%D9%87%D9%88-%D9%87%D8%A8%D8%A9
- www.alemarahenglish.afhttps://www.alemarahenglish.af/the-introduction-of-sheikh-moulavi-hibatullah-akhunzada-may-allah-safeguard-him-the-leader-of-the-islamic-emirate-of-afghanistan/
- www.icc-cpi.inthttps://www.icc-cpi.int/court-record/icc-02/17-224-red
- "Afghan Taliban announce successor to Mullah Mansour"https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-36375975
- France 24https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20211203-dead-or-alive-on-the-trail-of-the-taliban-s-supreme-leader
- "Haibatullah, a village Mullah, 56, no military & political experience, Yaqoub, 24, no mil & politic exper, Saraj will b defacto leader"https://x.com/RahmatullahN/status/735373079279468550
- Burnett 2020, p. 57.
- TOLOnewshttps://tolonews.com/afghanistan/hibatullahs-roots-were-non-political-and-reclusive
- The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jul/01/taliban-leader-hits-out-foreign-demands-afghan-government
- The New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/12/world/asia/taliban-afghanistan-pakistan-mawlawi-haibatullah-akhundzada.html
- BBC Newshttps://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-36377008
- www.afghan-bios.infohttp://www.afghan-bios.info/index.php?option=com_afghanbios&id=3523&task=view&total=725&start=56&Itemid=2
- Reutershttps://www.reuters.com/article/us-pakistan-blast-idUSKCN1V611C
- Al Jazeerahttps://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/8/16/brother-of-afghan-taliban-leader-killed-in-pakistan-mosque-blast
- The Washington Posthttps://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/06/04/kandahar-taliban-akhundzada-afghanistan/
- TRT Worldhttps://www.trtworld.com/asia/the-taliban-is-back-who-are-the-leaders-of-the-group-49229
- Financial Timeshttps://www.ft.com/content/25bb6ed9-fdef-451f-a7a7-4a7b9e4ab852
- "Afghan Taliban says Haibatullah Akhunzada is new leader"http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/05/afghan-taliban-haibatullah-akhunzada-leader-160525045301080.html
- "Mawlawi Hibatullah: Taliban's new leader signals continuity"https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-36381563
- Provost 2021, p. 123.
- "Afghan Taliban Appoint New Leader After Mansour's Death"https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/afghan-taliban-appoint-leader-mansours-death-39356168
- The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/may/25/taliban-new-leader-death-confirm-mullah-mansoor-haibatullah-akhundzada
- "Taliban chief reinforces position with backing of two key members". Daily Times. Lahore. 11 December 2016. Archived 23http://dailytimes.com.pk/world/11-Dec-16/taliban-chief-reinforces-position-with-backing-of-two-key-members
- The New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/22/world/asia/taliban-afghanistan-supreme-leader-son-suicide-attack.html
- "Son of Afghan Taliban leader dies carrying out suicide attack"https://www.reuters.com/article/us-afghanistan-taliban-son-idUSKBN1A707K
- Long War Journalhttps://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2018/08/foreign-islamic-state-fighters-captured-by-taliban-in-jawzjan.php
- thenationalnews.comhttps://www.thenationalnews.com/world/asia/2021/08/18/taliban-in-afghanistan-who-is-in-charge/
- aljazeera.comhttps://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/08/brother-afghan-taliban-leader-killed-pakistan-mosque-blast-190816143737376.html
- The Telegraphhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/08/16/family-taliban-leader-killed-assassination-attempt-eve-historic/
- "Taliban in troubled waters as splinter groups target leaders in Quetta"https://www.cnbctv18.com/politics/taliban-in-troubled-waters-as-splinter-groups-target-leaders-in-quetta-4388071.htm/amp
- "3 Taliban Members Killed In Attack On Group's Leader's Guards In Kabul, Claims AFF"https://www.afintl.com/en/202405182356
- The Express Tribunehttp://tribune.com.pk/story/2299090/taliban-leader-urges-unity-for-redevelopment-of-afghanistan-in-wake-of-us-forces-withdrawal
- "The latest on Afghanistan as Taliban take charge. Taliban leader calls for all remaining "political detainees" to be released"https://edition.cnn.com/world/live-news/afghanistan-taliban-us-news-08-18-21/index.html
- Business Insiderhttps://www.businessinsider.com/watch-afghan-prisoners-isis-al-qaeda-fighters-freed-by-taliban-2021-8?IR=T
- The Times of Indiahttps://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/who-is-haibatullah-akhundzada-the-shadowy-head-of-the-taliban/articleshow/85400750.cms
- The Sunday Guardian Livehttps://www.sundayguardianlive.com/world/sources-taliban-say-chief-akhundzada-kandahar
- BBC Newshttps://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-58479750
- TOLOnewshttps://tolonews.com/index.php/afghanistan-175725
- "Instructions of Amir-ul-Momenin (May Allah protect him) to governors about Afghans going to Western countries – Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan"https://alemarahenglish.af/?p=49064
- "Directives of Esteemed Amir-ul-Mumineen (May Allah protect him) to all the Mujahideen of the Islamic Emirate – Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan"https://alemarahenglish.af/?p=50737
- AP NEWShttps://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-taliban-70bf3af0a3ee5d7e876b1f1e35f71682
- "Taliban chief warns against recruiting child soldiers"https://pajhwok.com/2022/03/28/taliban-chief-warns-against-recruiting-child-soldiers/
- Reutershttps://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/taliban-bans-drug-cultivation-including-lucrative-opium-2022-04-03/
- www.aljazeera.comhttps://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/4/29/taliban-supreme-leader-urges-world-to-recognise-islamic
- NPRhttps://www.npr.org/2022/05/07/1097382550/taliban-women-burqa-decree
- Radiofreeeurope/Radiolibertyhttps://gandhara.rferl.org/a/taliban-cracks-down-on-afghan-media-by-decree/31962540.html
- "هدایات عالیقدر امیرالمؤمنین حفظه الله در مورد جلوگیری از اتهامات بیجا و بی قدری به مسوولین و کارمندان امارت اسلامی https://t.co/jgmN2Q04lN https://t.co/zphmfN2vEC"https://x.com/Zabehulah_M33/status/1550154759209893888
- www.jurist.orghttps://www.jurist.org/news/2022/11/taliban-leader-afghanistan-judges-must-enforce-shariah-punishments/
- BBC Newshttps://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-63736271
- Agence France-Pressehttps://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20221123-taliban-confirm-first-floggings-since-supreme-leader-s-edict
- France 24https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20250123-icc-prosecutor-seeks-arrest-of-taliban-leaders-over-persecution-of-women
- AP Newshttps://apnews.com/article/icc-tribunal-arrests-taliban-women-36e471179d6059ab1c9ae6699e5082c0
- Afghanistan Internationalhttps://www.afintl.com/en/202509294253
- Deutsche Wellehttps://www.dw.com/en/afghanistan-taliban-shuts-down-internet-indefinitely/a-74181089
- TheGuardian.comhttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/sep/14/questions-in-kabul-as-two-top-taliban-leaders-missing-from-public-view
- France 24https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220429-taliban-supreme-leader-urges-world-to-recognise-government
- channelnewsasia.comhttps://web.archive.org/web/20211101044027/https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/taliban-supreme-leader-makes-first-public-appearance-2281001
- Deutsche Wellehttps://www.dw.com/en/afghanistan-taliban-says-leader-makes-first-public-appearance/a-59677223
- reuters.comhttps://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/talibans-reclusive-supreme-leader-appears-belying-rumours-his-death-2021-10-31/
- Al Jazeerahttps://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/5/1/afghanistan-supreme-leader-makes-rare-appearance-to-mark-eid
- France 24https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220501-afghan-leader-hails-security-in-rare-appearance-to-mark-eid-1
- Dawnhttps://www.dawn.com/news/1687828
- BBChttps://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-62015606
- Yahoo Newshttps://news.yahoo.com/amphtml/talibans-reclusive-supreme-leader-attends-070533407.html
- Al Jazeerahttps://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/31/taliban-supreme-leader-qatari-pm-talks-held-in-kabul
- Foreign Policyhttps://foreignpolicy.com/2023/05/23/afghanistan-biden-taliban-akhundzada-haqqani/
- د کوچني اختر په مناسبت د شیخ صاحب ویناhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFvYbyppq5E
- Afghanistan Analysts Network – Englishhttps://www.afghanistan-analysts.org/en/reports/rights-freedom/the-ban-on-older-girls-education-taleban-conservatives-ascendant-and-a-leadership-in-disarray/
- VOAhttps://www.voanews.com/a/girls-education-ban-reveals-deep-rifts-within-taliban/6532038.html
- Al Jazeerahttps://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/7/1/taliban-supreme-leader-addresses-gathering
- VOA Newshttps://www.voanews.com/a/taliban-chief-slams-foreign-interference-in-his-islamic-governance/6641859.html
- Associated Presshttps://apnews.com/article/kabul-united-states-government-taliban-6f34fa4d93635d3500d91918624d4191
- UnHerdhttps://unherd.com/2023/01/the-taliban-must-purge-itself/
- Kuehn & van Linschoten 2018, pp. 525.