Taliban announces Afghanistan govt: Mullah Hasan named Prime Minister & Baradar his deputy

After days of speculation, the Taliban has announced the government of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. The new regime will be led by Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund, the head of the Taliban's powerful decision-making body 'Rehbari Shura'. Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar will be his deputy, the group's spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said. The dispensation that has been declared is a 'caretaker government', the Taliban's spokesperson, who has appointed himself Information Minister, said.

Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund to be Afghanistan's new Prime Minister: Taliban

Mullah Hasan is currently the chief of the Taliban's powerful decision-making body - leadership council or Rehbari Shura - which serves much like a government Cabinet running all the group's affairs subject to the approval of the top leader.

In the new government, Sirajuddin Haqqani has been appointed as interior minister, while Mohammad Yaqoob, the eldest son of the Taliban founder Mohammad Omar has been named as Minister of Defense.

Mujahid said that the Taliban is working on making the government more inclusive. "We will announce all the ministries, we are working on that, we are trying to include people from all parts of the country in the government," he said.

On Pakistan's role in the new government, the spokesperson said that there is no involvement by any country. "We won't allow that to happen (involvement). We fought for our country and Islam for the past 20 years," Mujahid said.

Taliban Announces New 'Caretaker' Government, Appoints 33 Ministers 

• Al-Hajj Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhand, Acting Prime Minister
• Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Deputy Prime Minister
• Mawlawi Abdul Salam Hanafi, Deputy Prime Minister
• Mawlawi Mohammad Yaghoub Mojahed, Acting Minister of Defense
• Alhaj Mullah Sirajuddin Haqqani Acting Minister of Interior 
• Mawlawi Amirkhan Mottaqi, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs
• Mullah Hedayatullah Badri, Acting Minister of Finance
• Sheikh Mawlawi Noorullah Munir, Head of the Ministry of Education
• Mullah Khairullah Khairkhah, Acting Minister of Information and Culture
• Qari Din Hanif, Head of the Ministry of Economy
• Sheikh Mawlawi Noor Mohammad Saqib, Head of the Ministry of Hajj and Endowments
• Mawlawi Abdul Hakim Shari, Acting Minister of Justice
• Mullah Noorullah Nouri, Head of the Ministry of Borders and Tribes
• Mullah Mohammad Deons Akhandzadeh, Head of the Ministry of Rural Development 
• Sheikh Mohammad Khalid, Head of the Ministry of Invitation and Guidance
• Mullah Abdul Manan Omari, Acting Minister of Public Works
• Haji Mullah Mohammad Issa Akhand, Head of the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum
• Mullah Abdul Latif Mansour, Acting Minister of Water and Electricity
• Mullah Hamidullah Akhandzadeh, Head of the Ministry of Aviation and Transport 
• Mawlawi Abdul Baqi Haqqani Acting Minister of Higher Education
• Mawlawi Najibullah Haqqani, Acting Minister of Communications 
• Haji Khalil-ur-Rehman Haqqani Acting Minister of Refugees
• Mullah Abdul Haq Wasiq, Acting Director General of Intelligence
• Haji Mohammad Idris Head of Afghanistan Bank
• Molavi Ahmadjan Ahmadi Head of Affairs
• Mullah Mohammad Fazel Mazlum Deputy Minister of Defense 
• Qari Fasihuddin Levi Drastiz of the country
• Shir Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs 
• Rumi Noor Jalal, Deputy Minister of Interior
• Zabihullah Mojahed, Deputy Minister of Information and Culture
• Mullah Taj Mir Javad, First Deputy Director General of Intelligence 
• Mullah Rahmatullah Najib, Administrative Deputy of the General Directorate of Intelligence
• Mullah Abdul Haq Akhand, Deputy Minister of Interior in the fight against drugs