THE eldest son of Taliban Founder Muhammad Yaqoob Mujahid has been announced as the new minister of defence in the United Emirate of Afghanistan.

The 31-year-old had been the Taliban’s deputy chief and head of the military commission and was included in the Taliban’s top decision-making council, the Rehbari Shura.

Mujahid supported a negotiated settlement to the war in Afghanistan and was an avid supporter of former Taliban Leader Akhtar Mohammad Mansour.

Other members of the all-male cabinet announced on Tuesday included: The Prime Minister of Afghanistan Mullah Hassan Akhund; two Deputy Prime Ministers -Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar (first) and Mullah Abdul Salam Hanafi (second); Information Minister Mullah Khairullah Khairkhwa, and Deputy Information Minister Zabihullah Mujahid.

Others were: Deputy Foreign Minister Sher Muhammad Abbas Stanikzai; Deputy Interior Minister Mullah Noor Jalal; Deputy Minister of Interior for Anti-narcotic Mullah Abdul Haq Akhund; Minister of Economic Affairs Qari Din Mohammad Hanif, and Minister of Justice Molavi Abdul Hakim Sharae.

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Chief Of Army Staff Qari Fadihuddeen; Director of Intelligence Mullah Abdul Haq Wasiq; Director of the Central Bank Haji Muhammad Idrees; Director of Administrative Affairs Maulvi Ahmad Jan Ahmadi, and Deputy Minister of Defense Mullah Muhammad Fazil.

There are 33 members of the Emirate’s caretaker cabinet in all, including senior Taliban figures, some of whom have been blacklisted by the United States.