Taliban Appoints Guantanamo Detainee as Defense Minister

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyemin] The Islamic militant group Taliban, which has regained control of Afghanistan, has appointed a person who was detained at the Guantanamo Bay U.S. Naval Base as acting Minister of Defense.

According to foreign media on the 24th (local time), the Taliban appointed Abdul Qayyum Zakir (48) as acting Minister of Defense.

He was captured and detained by U.S. forces who invaded Afghanistan in 2001 under the pretext of the War on Terror, and was released in 2007 during the administration of former U.S. President George Bush. At the time of his release, Zakir said, "I am glad that the Americans are rebuilding my homeland. There is no reason to oppose the United States," but he rejoined the Taliban a year later.

Before becoming the Taliban's supreme commander, he was known to have exerted influence by leading engagements with Afghan security forces and U.S. troops in Helmand Province in southern Afghanistan.

Qatar's state-owned Al Jazeera reported that he is friends with Sardar Ismail Kani, commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force, and that he had previously received weapons systems support from Iran.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.