Owing to the illness of Mullah Muhammad Hassan Akhund, Taliban’s supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada on Wednesday appointed Maulvi Abdul Kabir as the acting prime minister of Afghanistan, Khaama Press News Agency reported.

Maulvi Kabir — who was the deputy prime minister for Political Affairs — will now serve as the head of the Taliban government until Akhund recovers.

It should be noted that Akhund has served as the prime minister of the Taliban government since the group’s return to power in 2021.

Although the Taliban authorities have not revealed any details about Akhund ‘s illness, the news outlet citing sources said that he was suffering from heart disease.

Maulvi Kabir is from the eastern Paktika province and it is said he belongs to the Zadran tribe. He served as the governor of Nangarhar province during the former regime of the Taliban from 1996-2001.

He is one of the senior members among the Taliban who has played a significant role in the negotiations with the US in Qatar, which resulted in the signing of the Doha Agreement between the US and the Taliban.

After the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, Maulvi Kabir was initially appointed as the assistant to the economic deputy of Akhund and later as the political deputy of the Taliban’s prime minister.