Hassan Akhund; The Mullah Who Brought His Country Life to the Kabul Citadel

Hours after morning prayers, Mullah Hassan Akhund sits on a stool in the Harem Sarai of the Citadel. Documents and administrative files are brought to him, he issues verbal orders, and then returns to the same room that is both his home and his office.

In this historic palace, once a symbol of Afghan political power and authority, royal ceremonies, formal meetings, and administrative order have given way to the simple life of a man who has brought his traditional, country lifestyle to the country’s most important palace.

Since the Taliban’s return to power, the interior of the Harem Sarai has undergone a radical transformation. The office desks, chairs, and many modern furnishings have been removed and replaced with carpets, mattresses, and pillows that are more in keeping with the traditional lifestyle of Mullah Hassan Akhund, who came from a village in Kandahar.

The two-story Harem Palace of the Arg is one of the historical monuments of Afghanistan, built during the reign of Amir Abdul Rahman Khan for the residence of his family, and after that, a number of Afghan kings lived in it. In the early years of the republican system, Mohammad Zahir Shah, the last king of Afghanistan, also resided in this palace after returning to the country.

Now, the family of Mullah Hassan Akhund, especially the women of the family, live in this Harem Palace and under strict security measures, away from the public eye.

The Taliban Prime Minister has also established his offices in this section.

Sources in the Arg say that he has erased the boundary between home and work and directs most government affairs from this personal environment.

Hassan Akhund prefers the traditional atmosphere of a religious scholar's assembly to modern government offices. Instead of a formal desk, a mattress; instead of an office, a home; and instead of administrative correspondence, oral orders are the main features of his management style.

But the changes to the Citadel are not limited to the walls of the harem.

Another historical tradition has also changed during the Taliban era: the main palaces of the Citadel were the sole residences of the king or president and his family. Now, a number of senior Taliban officials live with their families in different parts of the Citadel.

The Citadel divided among Taliban families

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar lives in the Prime Minister’s Palace, Maulvi Abdul Salam Hanafi in the Gulhane Palace, Mullah Mohammad Yaqub Mujahid in Palace No. 1, Mullah Abdul Manan Omari in a separate building on the Citadel grounds, Mullah Mohammad Fazel Mazloum in another palace, and Mullah Abdul Kabir in the Sepidar Palace.

However, not all Taliban leaders live the same life inside the Citadel.

Although there are signs of the Talabi tradition in the lifestyles of all these officials, there are also significant differences between them.

Abdul Ghani Baradar, Abdul Salam Hanafi and Mohammad Yaqub have changed somewhat in their lifestyle, dress, relationships and management style over time and have become more urban.

They have more contact with foreign representatives, businessmen and political circles.

But sources from inside the palace paint a different picture of Hassan Akhund.

According to these sources, there are very few signs of change in his life. He continues to live like a traditional mullah and cleric, and many Taliban officials around him see him as a white beard, spiritual leader and neighbor rather than treating him as an official.

The Taliban Prime Minister’s Hemorrhoids

Sources close to Hassan Akhund in the palace say that one of the reasons he uses his home as an office is his old age and the fact that he rarely leaves the house. A source closely following the Taliban prime minister's treatment also links his use of a mattress instead of a chair to his physical condition, saying: "Mullah Sahib is suffering from hemorrhoids."

The same sources say that Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhundzada has greatly limited the powers of the leaders based in Kabul.

Inside the palace, most of the remaining influence is held by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar.

Ghani Baradar has more modern advisers and staff than other rival officials and largely controls the government's economic sector.