Abdul Qayyum Zakir

Abdul Qayyum "Zakir"
Born	1973 Kajaki District, Helmand Province, Afghanistan
Occupation	Taliban military leader
Years active	1997–present
Known for	Acting Deputy Minister of Defense of Afghanistan, former acting Defense Minister (Aug–Sep 2021)

Abdul Qayyum "Zakir" (born 1973), also identified as Abdullah Ghulam Rasoul, is a senior Taliban military leader currently serving as the acting Deputy Minister of Defense under the Taliban administration governing Afghanistan.<ref>He briefly held the position of acting Defense Minister from 24 August to 7 September 2021.<ref>

Zakir became affiliated with the Taliban in 1997 during the Afghan civil war, where he occupied several key roles including deputy army commander, northern front commander, and for a short period, minister of defence during the initial Taliban regime.<ref>Following the US-led invasion, he surrendered and was subsequently detained at Guantanamo Bay detention camp. Later, he was transferred to Pul-e-Charkhi prison in Afghanistan, from which he was eventually released.<ref>

After his release, Zakir rose through the Taliban hierarchy, directing military campaigns in Helmand and Nimroz provinces before assuming overall command of military operations. He has been characterized as a hardline figure with alleged close connections to Iran.<ref> In 2014, internal disputes prompted his temporary resignation,<ref> but he resumed a deputy military leadership role in 2020.<ref>

Early life

Born in 1973 in the Kajaki District of Helmand Province, Afghanistan, Abdul Qayyum was raised in Jowzjan Province. He belongs to the Pashtun ethnic group, specifically the Alizai tribe. His education included studies at religious schools within Afghanistan and later at a madrasa located in Quetta, Pakistan. This madrasa was affiliated with an Afghan mujahideen faction led by Mohammad Nabi Mohammadi, which opposed Soviet forces during their occupation of Afghanistan.

Taliban involvement and Guantanamo Bay detention

Acting on directives from Mohammad Nabi Mohammadi, Qayyum and Nematullah joined the ranks of the Taliban in Spin Boldak District in 1997. Known by the alias "Zakir," Qayyum assumed leadership after Nematullah's death amid the Afghan civil war. During Taliban governance, he held positions such as deputy army commander, northern front commander, and briefly minister of defence.

In 2001, Zakir surrendered to US-led coalition forces in Mazar-i-Sharif and was detained at Guantanamo Bay (Internment Serial Number 8). Afghan intelligence later clarified that "Abdullah Ghulam Rasoul," a name used in US records, was actually his father's name; his complete nom de guerre is "Qayyum Zakir."

In December 2007, Zakir was moved from Guantanamo to the American-renovated Block D of Pul-e-Charkhi prison in Afghanistan. The Afghan government released him in May 2008, reportedly influenced by tribal elder pressure. UK counter-terrorism officials voiced concerns about his release and subsequent return to Taliban activities, attributing it to disorganized Afghan review processes dominated more by tribal dynamics than legal scrutiny.

Resurgence within Taliban leadership

Following his release, Zakir rejoined the Taliban and was appointed head of the Gerdi Jangal Regional Military Shura, managing operations across Helmand and Nimroz provinces. On March 9, 2009, the Department of Defense officially recognized him as a Taliban leader. British authorities believed he soon became the operations commander for southern Afghanistan’s Taliban forces and held responsibility for escalating roadside attacks targeting British and American troops. Operating out of Quetta, he oversaw southern provinces including Helmand, Kandahar, Uruzgan, and Zabul, with authority to designate Taliban governors in these areas.

The New York Times reported that Zakir led a delegation between December 2008 and January 2009 to engage with the Pakistani Taliban, aiming to shift their focus from internal Pakistani conflicts toward American-led forces operating in Afghanistan. Analyst Anand Gopal noted Zakir’s involvement in drafting a Taliban "rule book" intended to reduce civilian harm. In 2010, he was appointed as "surge commander," charged with countering Coalition and Afghan government efforts to eliminate Taliban sanctuaries in Helmand and Kandahar.

On March 1, 2010, The News International reported Zakir’s inclusion within the Taliban's Quetta Shura, where he was detained alongside senior figures such as Abdul Ghani Baradar. He was later released without public explanation. By that year, Zakir had assumed the role of chief military commander.

According to The Wall Street Journal in April 2014, Zakir resigned from this position citing "ill health," though other sources suggested disagreements over peace negotiations and conflicts with moderate leaders like Akhtar Mansour. His successor was Ibrahim Sadar.

After founding leader Mohammad Omar’s death was announced in 2015, Mansour became supreme leader. Initially opposing this succession process—favoring Omar's son Mohammad Yaqoob—Zakir eventually pledged loyalty to Mansour. In May 2020, Yaqoob assumed command over military operations and appointed both Zakir and Sadar as deputies.

In June 2020, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty described Zakir as a Taliban commander linked to Iran who opposed US-Afghan peace negotiations.

During the 2021 Taliban offensive, Zakir directed forces across southern Afghanistan and led the advance toward Kabul, reportedly being among the first to enter the presidential palace after President Ashraf Ghani fled. Following the Taliban’s takeover on August 15, 2021, he was named deputy minister of defense.

On August 21, 2022, Zakir received an appointment as military commander for Panjshir province. This role underscores persistent challenges posed by the NRF in central and northern regions of Afghanistan.

External links

• Identifying 'the worst of the worst' Andy Worthington