Taliban appoint ex-Guantanamo detainee Mullah Abdul Qayyum Zakir as 'Defence Minister'

Mullah Abdul Qayyum Zakir, a former Guantanamo Bay detainee, has been appointed as the interim Defence Minister of Afghanistan, according to Al Jazeera.

The Taliban have appointed former Guantanamo Bay detainee Mullah Abdul Qayyum Zakir as the interim Defence Minister of Afghanistan, Al Jazeera news channel reported, citing a Taliban source. Mullah Abdul Qayyum Zakir is a veteran Taliban commander and also a close associate of Taliban founder Mullah Omar. He was captured by US-led forces in 2001 and was detained at Guantanamo Bay until 2007, according to Reuters. He was released and handed over to the Afghan government.