Suhail Shaheen

Muhammad Suhail Shaheen (Pashto/Dari: محمد سهیل شاهین, Pashto pronunciation: [mʊˈhamad sʊˈhel ʃaˈhin], Dari pronunciation: [mʊˈhammad sʊˈheːl ʃaˈhiːn]) is a Taliban member who is currently the head of the Political Office in Doha.[1] He edited the English-language, state-owned Afghan newspaper The Kabul Times during the first Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (1996–2001), before being appointed to Afghanistan's Embassy in Pakistan as a deputy ambassador.[2]

Suhail Shaheen
Shaheen in 2019
Head of the Political Office
Assumed office
23 February 2022[1]
Supreme LeaderHibatullah Akhundzada
Preceded byAbdul Ghani Baradar
Personal details
Born
Muhammad Suhail Shaheen

Paktia Province, Afghanistan
Alma materInternational Islamic University, Islamabad
Kabul University
Political affiliationTaliban

The Taliban-led government appointed him as the Permanent Representative of Afghanistan to the United Nations in September 2021, but the UN rejected his appointment to the post.

Early life
Suhail Shaheen (far right) meeting US representative Zalmay Khalilzad (2nd left) and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (4th left), accompanying Abdul Ghani Baradar and Abdul Hakim Ishaqzai (5th and 6th left)

Suhail was born in the Paktia Province of Afghanistan.[2] He was educated in Pakistan, and he is known to be a prolific writer and fluent speaker of English and Urdu in addition to his native Pashto.[3] Suhail studied at the International Islamic University Islamabad[4] and Kabul University.[3]

Career

During the period of the Taliban's original Islamic Emirate (1996–2001), Shaheen served as Afghanistan's Deputy Ambassador at the Afghan Embassy in Pakistan.[3] During the later phase of the Taliban's insurgency (2013–2021), he served as one of the Taliban's official spokesmen at their political office in Doha, where he gave many interviews to international media channels.[5]

On 20 September 2021, the Taliban-led government of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan nominated him to become Afghanistan's official envoy to the United Nations. Shaheen however would be unable to take over the post unless the United Nations Credentials Committee accepts Shaheen's appointment.[6] The UN has rejected recognizing Shaheen as the official Afghan representative and instead recognizes Muhammad Wali Naeemi, the ambassador of the now-ousted government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.[7]

In October 2021, Shaheen rejected American help in fighting the Islamic State – Khorasan Province, saying, "We are able to tackle Daesh independently."[8]

See also

References
  1. "Shaheen Appointed Head of Doha Office". TOLOnews. 26 February 2022. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  2. "Database". www.afghan-bios.info. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  3. "Suhail Shaheen". Conciliation Resources. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  4. "Database". www.afghan-bios.info.
  5. "Meet Suhail Shaheen: Taliban's 'soft-spoken, calm' spokesperson named as UN envoy". Firstpost. 22 September 2021. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
  6. Nichols, Michelle (21 September 2021). Milliken, Mary; McCool, Grant (eds.). "Exclusive: Taliban names Afghan U.N. envoy, asks to speak to world leaders". Reuters. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  7. Najibullah Lalzoy (9 February 2022). "Muhammad Wali Naeemi appointed Afghanistan's Permanent envoy to UN". Khaama Press. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  8. Kathy Gannon (Associated Press) (9 October 2021). "Taliban say they won't work with US to contain Islamic State". PBS NewsHour. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
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