Taliban appoint sanctioned commander Mohammad Fazel as transport minister

Mohammad Fazel Mazloom, a former Taliban deputy defence minister who is under U.N. sanctions, has been appointed minister of transport and civil aviation in a cabinet reshuffle ordered by the Taliban’s supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada.

Under the same order, the Taliban transport minister, Hamidullah Akhundzada, has been appointed as the Taliban’s first deputy minister of defense, a similar pattern of replacement that has happened almost in all reshuffles by the Taliban leader since their return to power in August 2021.

Security sources told Amu that Fazel had recently faced tensions with Taliban defense minister Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid, though there was no official confirmation of this.

Fazel is one of the Taliban’s most senior military figures and has long been part of the Taliban’s leadership circle. During the Taliban’s first period in power from 1996 to 2001, he played a key role in commanding operations in northern Afghanistan against opposition forces.

Born in Uruzgan province, Fazel is regarded as having been close to the Taliban’s founder, Mullah Mohammad Omar. He was placed on the UN Security Council sanctions list in 2001 under the 1988 sanctions regime targeting Taliban-linked individuals.

Following the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, Fazel was captured by anti-Taliban Northern Alliance forces and later transferred to US custody. He was held at the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay before being released years later.

Since returning to power, Akhundzada has issued dozens of decrees reshuffling Taliban officials across the country, including military commanders, provincial governors and cabinet ministers. The changes have remained confined to members of the Taliban movement, with no inclusion of non-Taliban political figures.

A significant number of senior Taliban officials, including members of the cabinet, leadership council and the Supreme Court, remain under sanctions imposed by the United Nations, the European Union and other Western governments.

The reshuffle comes amid continued international pressure on the Taliban over governance, human rights and security concerns, while the movement seeks greater diplomatic engagement and relief from sanctions.