1. Zabihullah Mujahid is an Afghan spokesperson who has been the chief spokesman for the internationally unrecognized Taliban regime of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan since 25 October 2021 and their Deputy Minister of Information and Culture since 7 September 2021.
Zabihullah Mujahid has long served as one of several spokesmen for the Taliban, the others being Suhail Shaheen and Yousef Ahmadi.
Zabihullah Mujahid was appointed in January 2007 following the arrest of Taliban spokesman Muhammad Hanif.
Zabihullah Mujahid began fighting at the age of 16 and later became a writer in Dari for a Taliban magazine before serving as an anchor for a Taliban radio in both Pashto and Dari.
Zabihullah Mujahid became the Taliban group's spokesman in January 2007 following the arrest of Muhammad Hanif by the National Directorate of Security, on the border town of Torkham crossing from Pakistan.
Zabihullah Mujahid has been responsible for confirming or denying group's involvement in attacks across Afghanistan.
Zabihullah Mujahid has released videos on his Twitter account showing the Taliban's activity throughout the conflict.
On 21 April 2017, Zabihullah Mujahid claimed Taliban responsibility for an attack on an army base in Mazar-i-Sharif that killed more than 140 soldiers.
On 21 January 2019, Zabihullah Mujahid claimed Taliban responsibility for an attack on training centre of the National Directorate of Security that killed over 100 security personnel.
On 29 November 2020, Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for an attack on army base in Afghanistan that killed 30 security personnel.
Zabihullah Mujahid claimed the Taliban were not aware of how Siddiqui died, asking journalists to inform the Taliban before entering war zone so that the group can "take proper care of that particular individual".
Zabihullah Mujahid first appeared publicly and showed his face on 17 August 2021, two days after the fall of Kabul, at the Taliban's first press conference along with Abdul Qahar Balkhi in Kabul, Afghanistan, where he answered questions of local and international media teams.
Zabihullah Mujahid is fluent in both Pashto and Dari Persian languages.
On 7 September 2021, Zabihullah Mujahid was appointed Deputy Minister of Information and Culture in the newly formed interim government made up entirely of Taliban members.
Zabihullah Mujahid said his move was a pragmatic decision to allow him to more easily report on Akhundzada's activities, and denied the move is reflective of a power shift.