Abdul Qayyum Zakir

Criminal history
Criminal history
Released	2007; Pul-e-Charkhi prison
Detained at	Guantanamo
Other name(s)	Abdul Qhulam Rasoul; Abdullah Zakir; Qayyum Zakir; Y Abdhullah
ISN	8
Status	Repatriated to Afghanistan, later released

Mullah
Abdul Qayyum Zakir
Mullah Abdul Qayyum Zakir
عبدالقیوم ذاکر
Deputy Minister of Defence
	Acting
	Assumed office ; 21 September 2021
Leader	Hibatullah Akhundzada
Prime Minister	Hasan Akhund (acting)
Preceded by	Mohammad Fazl (acting)
Minister of Defence
	In office; 24 August 2021 – 7 September 2021
Leader	Hibatullah Akhundzada
Preceded by	Bismillah Khan Mohammadi
Succeeded by	Mohammad Yaqoob (acting)
Personal details
Born	1973 (age 50–51); Kajaki, Helmand Province, Afghanistan
Occupation	Politician, Taliban member
Military service
Allegiance	Taliban (Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan)
Branch/service	Sayyid Ala ud-Din Agha; Islamic Army of Afghanistan (1996-2001); Military Affairs Commission of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan; Army of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (2021-present);
Rank	Commander
Unit	Sayyid Ala ud-Din Agha ; 203 Mansoori Corps
Commands	Deputy Chief of Army Staff ; Head of the Military Affairs Commission (until 2014) ; Panjshir Brigade (since 2022) ; Andarab Regiment (since 2022)
Battles/wars	Afghan Civil War (1996–2001); United States invasion of Afghanistan; War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) 2021 Taliban offensive Fall of Kabul; ; ; Panjshir Conflict;
Released
Criminal history
Released	2007; Pul-e-Charkhi prison
Detained at	Guantanamo
Other name(s)	Abdul Qhulam Rasoul; Abdullah Zakir; Qayyum Zakir; Y Abdhullah
ISN	8
Status	Repatriated to Afghanistan, later released

Abdul Qayyum "Zakir" (born 1973), also known by the nom de guerre Abdullah Ghulam Rasoul,^[4]^[5] is the acting Deputy Minister of Defense of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.^[6] He previously served as the acting Defense Minister, from 24 August 2021 to 7 September 2021.^[7]

Zakir joined the Taliban movement in 1997 and took part in the Afghan civil war. He held the positions of deputy army commander, northern front commander and minister of defence for a short period during the first Taliban government of Afghanistan.^[8] Following the United States invasion of Afghanistan, Zakir surrendered to US forces and was interned in the US Guantanamo Bay detention camp in Cuba.^[9] He was transferred from US custody to Pul-e-Charkhi prison in Afghanistan, from where he was later released.^[5]

After his release, Zakir rose through the ranks of the Taliban, running military operations in Helmand and Nimroz provinces^[10] before becoming the Taliban's overall military commander. During his tenure he was often described as one of the movement's hardliners and was reported to maintain close links to Iran.^[11] In 2014, he stepped down, reportedly following an internal leadership dispute,^[12] then was appointed as a deputy to the military head in 2020.^[13]

^ Harris, Jr., Harry B. (December 26, 2006). "MEMORANDUM FOR Commander, United States Southern Command, 3511 NW Avenue, Miami, FL 33172" (PDF). The New York Times. Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. United States Department of Defense. p. 1. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 3, 2021. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
^ Cite error: The named reference Trt world was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference LWJ was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Gopal, Anand (April 30, 2010). "Qayyum Zakir: The Taliban's Rising Mastermind". The Christian Science Monitor. Archived from the original on 2016-03-18. Retrieved 2010-05-31.
^ ^a ^b Evans, Michael; Philp, Catherine (March 13, 2009). "Afghans pressed to explain release of Abdullah Ghulam Rasoul". The Times. London. Archived from the original on November 17, 2021. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
^ Gopalakrishnan, Raju; Mackenzie, James (21 September 2021). Birsel, Robert (ed.). "Taliban appoint hardline battlefield commanders to key Afghan posts". Reuters. Archived from the original on 28 September 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
^ "Taliban appoints former Guantanamo detainee as acting defense minister, Al Jazeera says". Reuters. 2021-08-24. Archived from the original on 2021-08-24. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
^ Cite error: The named reference alaraby-1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ "List of Individuals Detained by the Department of Defense at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba from January 2002 through May 15, 2006" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. 2006-05-15. Archived from the original on 2018-12-25. Retrieved 2006-05-15.
^ Cite error: The named reference lwj-1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Farmer, Ben (25 August 2021). "Afghan government worker killed by Taliban militants despite amnesty promise". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 17 November 2021. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
^ Cite error: The named reference WSJ was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference Foulkes was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[QayyumAge-1] Harris, Jr., Harry B. (December 26, 2006). "MEMORANDUM FOR Commander, United States Southern Command, 3511 NW Avenue, Miami, FL 33172" (PDF). The New York Times. Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. United States Department of Defense. p. 1. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 3, 2021. Retrieved June 3, 2021.

[Trt_world-2] Cite error: The named reference Trt world was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[LWJ-3] Cite error: The named reference LWJ was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[gopala2010430-4] Gopal, Anand (April 30, 2010). "Qayyum Zakir: The Taliban's Rising Mastermind". The Christian Science Monitor. Archived from the original on 2016-03-18. Retrieved 2010-05-31.

[TheTimes2009-03-13-5] Evans, Michael; Philp, Catherine (March 13, 2009). "Afghans pressed to explain release of Abdullah Ghulam Rasoul". The Times. London. Archived from the original on November 17, 2021. Retrieved September 3, 2021.

[6] Gopalakrishnan, Raju; Mackenzie, James (21 September 2021). Birsel, Robert (ed.). "Taliban appoint hardline battlefield commanders to key Afghan posts". Reuters. Archived from the original on 28 September 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2021.

[7] "Taliban appoints former Guantanamo detainee as acting defense minister, Al Jazeera says". Reuters. 2021-08-24. Archived from the original on 2021-08-24. Retrieved 2021-08-24.

[alaraby-1-8] Cite error: The named reference alaraby-1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[DoDList2-9] "List of Individuals Detained by the Department of Defense at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba from January 2002 through May 15, 2006" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. 2006-05-15. Archived from the original on 2018-12-25. Retrieved 2006-05-15.

[lwj-1-10] Cite error: The named reference lwj-1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[11] Farmer, Ben (25 August 2021). "Afghan government worker killed by Taliban militants despite amnesty promise". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 17 November 2021. Retrieved 25 August 2021.

[WSJ-12] Cite error: The named reference WSJ was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Foulkes-13] Cite error: The named reference Foulkes was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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