Mullah Abdur Razzaq Akhundzada (born 1958) is a Pashtun politician who served as the Interior Minister of Afghanistan in 2001.[1] He served as the governor of Herat in 1997[2] and is believed to be a member of the Taliban leadership. He is rumoured to belong to the Achakzai tribe, from a family of Jalaludin village, Spin Boldak District, Kandahar Province; it is also claimed that he is in fact not an Afghan, but is a Pakistani national.[3]

Abdur Razzaq Akhundzada
عبدالرزاق آخوندزاده
Born1958
NationalityAfghan
Occupation(s)Politician, Taliban member
Known forQuetta Shura Member

Abdul Razzaq traveled to Pakistan in mid-May 2000 to discuss the extradition of criminals, terrorism, drug trafficking and the Afghanistan–Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement.[4] Pakistan demanded the closure of 18 Afghan training camps, where Pakistani militants were believed to be receiving training.

Razzaq was captured in an uprising in Mazar-i-Sharif[clarification needed] but later escaped.[2]

The British paper The Scotsman reported that Razzaq was a founding member of the Taliban; that he headed the Taliban's customs department; and was later interior minister. The article further alleged that Razzaq was the number two in a then new Taliban military command structure.[5]

References

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  1. ^ Scott Baldauf, Owais Tohid (May 8, 2003). "Taliban appears to be regrouped and well-funded: A new hierarchy of leaders has emerged across parts of Afghanistan". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 2007-02-27.
  2. ^ a b Adamec, Ludwig W. (2012). Historical dictionary of Afghanistan (4th ed.). Lanham, Md.: The Scarecrow Press. p. 16. ISBN 978-0-8108-7815-0.
  3. ^ "Akhond, Abdul Razaq Mullah". Afghan Biographies.
  4. ^ {{cite web Currently he leads the ministry for disabled and injured Afghans. |url=http://www.unhcr.org/publ/RSDCOI/3af8027f13.pdf |title=Background paper on Refugees and Asylum Seekers from Afghanistan |publisher=United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees |date=April 2001 |accessdate=February 27, 2007 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20061121111301/http://www.unhcr.org/publ/RSDCOI/3af8027f13.pdf |archivedate=November 21, 2006 |url-status=dead }}
  5. ^ Ian Mather (May 11, 2003). "Russia funding resurgent Taliban". The Scotsman. Archived from the original on 11 February 2007. Retrieved 2007-02-27.