Qari Mohammad Yousef Ahmadi (Pashto: قارى محمد يوسف احمدى) is one of the two Taliban spokesmen,[1] the other being Zabiullah Mujahid. In 2006, Ahmadi contacted Reuters, the Associated Press, Canadian Press and Afghan Islamic Press by satellite phone to offer Taliban messages regarding southern Afghanistan.[2][3][4][5]
Yousef Ahmadi یوسف احمدى | |
|---|---|
| Supreme Leader | Hibatullah Akhundzada |
| Prime Minister | Hasan Akhund (acting) |
| Minister | Khairullah Khairkhwa |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1970s Zabul Province, Afghanistan |
| Political party |  Taliban |
| Children | 7 |
| Occupation | Spokesman, Taliban member |
In August 2008, his name began appearing once again, as the focus of a number of Canadian Press interviews with Toby Cohen, in which he advised Canadians that they should elect a Prime Minister who would remove Canadian troops in Afghanistan.[6][7] Ahmadi is quoted as saying that "the election is being held in Canada. That is why our attacks on Canadians are increased".[8] He is also alleged to have said that the Taliban "don't want to fight with Canadians. Actually we want to create friendship with Canadians".[9]
In November 2012, Ahmadi accidentally used CC instead of BCC when emailing a routine Taliban press release, exposing the names and email addresses of more than 400 Taliban press contacts. The list consisted mostly of journalists, as well as email addresses that may have belonged to an Afghan legislator, a provincial governor, academics, activists, an Afghan consultative committee, and a representative of Gulbuddin Hekmatyar.[10]
Personal information
editAhmadi was born and raised in Zabul Province. He has four sons and three daughters.
Recent activities
editAhmadi is noted as a contributor/editor to the Taliban magazine Al Somod. In April 2014, he reported in detail on a suicide bomber that used a motorcycle to assassinate 50 US and ally soldiers.
His byline also appears on English-language Internet postings claiming to report insurgent activities.
On 24 August 2021, Ahmadi was introduced by Zabiullah Mujahid in a press conference.
Ahmadi was appointed as Afghanistan's head of Government Media and Information Center on 30 May 2023.[11]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Third UAE Plane Carrying Humanitarian Aid Arrives In Kabul". TOLOnews. September 11, 2021. Retrieved 2021-09-11.
- ^ al-Jazeera, quoting Reuters, March 2006
- ^ MSN, quoting AP, May 2006
- ^ BBC, quoting AIP, September 2006
- ^ TVNZ, quoting Reuters, 10 December 2006 Archived May 15, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Toronto Star, Pull out or else, Taliban warns Canada, August 18, 2008
- ^ Cohen, Toby. Canadian Press, Taliban urges next Canadian prime minister to pull troops out of Afghanistan, September 9, 2008
- ^ Cohen, Toby. Canadian Press, Taliban is watching the Cdn election[usurped], September 9, 2008
- ^ Cohen, Toby. Canadian Press, Ramp ceremony for 3 slain Cdn. soldiers[usurped], September 4, 2008
- ^ Lila, Muhammad. "Taliban Oops Reveals Mailing List IDs". Yahoo News. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
- ^ "Qari Yusuf Ahmadi appointed head of Government Media and Information …". 2023-05-30. Archived from the original on 2024-05-01.