Afghan Biographies

Mullah Mohammad Rasul Akhund


Name Mullah Mohammad Rasul Akhund
Ethnic backgr. Pashtun
Date of birth 1965
Function/Grade Dissident Taliban Commander
History and Biodata

2. Previous Functions:
Taliban-appointed governor of Nimruz and Farah Province (2001)
Mullah Rasul appointed shadow governor of Farah by the Quetta Shura (200903)
Leader dissident Taliban group (20151102)
3. Biodata:

Mullah Rasool Mullah Mohammad Rasool Akhund Mullah Mohammad Rassoul Nowrozi Mullah Muhammad Rasul was born 1965 in Kadahar Province where he hails from. Other sources say he was born in Bakwah District Bakwa District, Farah Province. Taliban commanders in Afghanistan's western Farah province in which Mullah Mohammad Rasool was chosen to lead the dissident group, causing deep divisions in the insurgency. Rasool – who the faction group says was a close aide of Mullah Omar – wearing glasses and a black turban while delivering a 13-minute speech on Nov 3, 2015 in Farah Province. Mullah Rasool has appointed four commanders of the group as his deputies. Abdul Manan Niazi, Mansoor Dadullah and Shir Mohammad Akhundzada appointed as deputies on military affairs and Mullah Baz Mohammad Haris for political affairs.

The dissidents said however that Mullah Akhtar Mansour has hijacked the movement for his personal greed. Mullah Mansoor – who some Taliban's Quetta Council members claimed was appointed by Pakistan's ISI – was elected as the new leader in August 2015 after the group confirmed that Mullah Omar had died two years ago. Many commanders within the movement accused Mansoor of hiding the news since April 2013. However this is believed to be the first public and official division of the group. A source within the splinter group recently, said that Mullah Rasool was an "old and trusted friend" of the Mullah Omar. Rasool under Taliban rule served as governor for Nimroz and Farah provinces before the regime was ousted in 2001. However there are reports that Rasool is not a religious scholar.
 

Mullah Muhammad Rasul as a Taliban-appointed governor exerted economic pressures on ethnic and religious minorities unpopular with the Taliban, and made a considerable fortune controlling cross-border drug-smuggling through Nimruz. Rasul founded a new city, and capital of the province, called Ghurghuri, in a heavily-Pashtun area. Rasul and his functionaries fled Nimroz following U.S. airstrikes on 13 November 2001, and his office was taken over by a mujahid who returned from Iran, Abdul Karim Brahui.

Fierce clashes have erupted between Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour and followers of Mansoor Dadullah, a deputy of splinter-group leader Mohamed Rasool who announced his own faction.The fighting started in Khak-i-Afghan and Arghandab districts of Zabul province. About 60 fighters of Mullah Dadullah and 20 of Akhtar Mansour have been killed, 30 others were injured.(20151109)

Mullah Mansoor Dadullah was lured into a trap and killed by members of the main Taliban group in the Khak-e-Afghan district of southeastern Zabul province. Dadullah — who acted as a deputy to the splinter faction's leader Mullah Mohammad Rasool — was killed late Wednesday Nov 11, 2015.
The claim couldn't be independently confirmed and the breakaway faction did not report it. However, a Taliban commander in Zabul said that Dadullah was killed by one of his bodyguards "who was working as a spy" for Mansoor. Rasool's faction had disputed the legitimacy of Mullah Akhtar Mansoor, who became Taliban leader after the announcement in July 2015 that founder Mullah Mohammad Omar was dead.

 

The chief of a breakaway Afghan Taliban group, Mullah Muhammad Rasool, has been detained by Pakistani authorities, according to two Taliban leaders on Monday. Mullah Rasool was chosen in early November by several Taliban cadres opposed to Mullah Akhtar Mansoor’s ascendency to head the splinter group.(20160322)


Mullah Abdul Rauf Arafi has been appointed as new leader of a Talibansplinter group, led by Mullah Rasoul. Mullah Arafi had been appointed by a 13-member executive council of the group. He is a resident of the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province. Arafi’s nomination came after Mullah Rasoul’s disappearance over the past few months. Supporters had no information about his whereabouts.(20160820)

A delegation of the Taliban including Shababuddin Dilawar and came from Qatar to Islamabad explore prospects of resuming talks.They want to negotiate with the US through the Qatar Office, but refused to negotiate with the Afghan government.(20180118)

The Taliban’s splinter group led by Mullah Rasoul has declared its support for Ulema conference in Indonesia on Afghan peace process later in March 2018, a statement from the group said on Sunday, Mar 18, 2018.

Mullah Rasul is believed to receive arms and support from Afghan intelligence, which has attempted to divide the Taliban militant group. Mullah Rasul's faction has been engaged in deadly clashes with fighters from the mainstream Taliban in southern and western Afghanistan since 2015, leaving scores dead on both sides. (20181130)

 

 

Background as of 20151203:

The breakaway Taliban group, which is opposed to Mullah Mansour, appointed Mullah Mohammad Rassoul Nowrozi as leader.

He in turn appointed Mullah Baz Mohammad and Mullah Mansour Dadullah as his military deputies.

Mullah Manan Neyazi was also appointed as his third deputy over politics and also as spokesman for their supreme council.

Mullah Rassoul hails from Loy Kariz village in Spinboldak district in Kandahar and is 40-years-old. He was governor of Nimroz during the Taliban's regime and worked closely with Mullah Omar for years. Mullah Omar considered him trustworthy. He now reportedly lives in Quetta.

Mawlawi Baz Mohammad is from Khak-e-Safid district in western Farah province but lives in Gard-e-Jangalgah, in Quetta city.

Mullah Mansour Dadullah is from Dehrawood district of southern Uruzgan province and he was a commander for his brother, Mullah Dadullah who at the time of his death in 2007 was senior military commander. After the death of his brother, Mullah Mansoor Dadullah took on all his responsibilities.

Mullah Abdul Manan Neyazi, who comes from Torghondi in western Herat, previously worked as the spokesman for Taliban. He was also shadow governor of Kabul province. He now lives in Ishaqabad of Pakistan. This Taliban group has strong influence in Farah, Herat, Nimroz and Uruzgan provinces and high ranking members of Quetta Shura support them.
In addition, seven others support them.

1.  Shir Mohammad Mansour, from Zurmat district in Paktika.

2.  Mullah Mohammad Hassan Rahmani, resident of Meyanshin district of Kandahar but now believed to be living in Pashton Abad in Quetta city. He is the head of the recruitment commission for the Quetta Shura.

3.  Mawlawi Habibullah, from Khak-e-Safid in Farah now lives in Gard-e-Jangal in Pakistan. He is a member of the Taliban's military commission and head of Habibullah Madrasa in this area.

4.  Mullah Abbas, from Khas Urzgan district of Uruzgan lives in Kharot Abad in Quetta city. He is head of the Taliban's health commission.

5.  Mawlawi Ahmad, originally lived in Kandahar but now resides in Quetta.

6.  Mawlawi Jalil, who is known as Haqqani, is from Kandahar but lives in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan. He is a member of the intelligence commission of the Quetta Shura.

7.  Mullah Abdul Razaq, from Zar Qala village in Spinboldak district, Kandahar, lives in Chaman area in Pakistan. He is a member of the Quetta Shura's recruitment commission.
According to reports Raz Mohammad Nangialy is leading the war since 20151207 in Zer Koh area of Shindand district, Herat Province in favor of Mullah Rasool while Mullah Abdul Samad is fighting in favour of Mullah Mansoor’.(20151208)

 

Last Modified 2018-11-30
Established 2015-11-26