Bot at 06:11, 14 December 2022

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{{Short description|Deputy Foreign Minister of Afghanistan since 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai
| native_name = {{nobold|شیر محمد عباس ستانکزئی}}
| image = Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai (cropped).jpg
| caption = Stanikzai in 2020
| alt =
| order =
| office = Acting [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Afghanistan)|Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs]]
| term_start = 7 September 2021
| term_end =
| 1blankname = [[Head of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan|Leader]]
| 1namedata = [[Hibatullah Akhundzada]]
| 2blankname = Minister
| 2namedata = [[Amir Khan Muttaqi]] (acting)
| term_start1 = c. 1996
| term_end1 = December 2001
| 1blankname1 = [[Head of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan|Leader]]
| 1namedata1 = [[Mullah Omar|Mohammed Omar]]
| 2blankname1 = [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Afghanistan)|Minister]]
| 2namedata1 = [[Mohammad Ghous]] <br> Abdul Jalil <br> [[Mohammad Hassan Akhund]] <br> [[Wakil Ahmed Muttawakil]]
| predecessor1 =
| successor1 = Himself (2021)
| office2 = [[Rahbari Shura|Head]] of the [[Political Office of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan]]
| term_start2 = November 2015
| term_end2 = 24 January 2019<br>Acting: 6 August 2015 – November 2015
| predecessor2 = [[Tayyab Agha]]
| successor2 = [[Abdul Ghani Baradar]]
| 1blankname2 = [[Head of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan|Leader]]
| 1namedata2 = {{ubl|[[Akhtar Mansour]]|[[Hibatullah Akhundzada]]}}
| office3 = [[Ministry of Public Health (Afghanistan)|Deputy Minister of Public Health]]
| term_start3 = 1998
| term_end3 = 2001
| 1blankname3 = [[Head of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan|Leader]]
| 1namedata3 = [[Mullah Omar|Mohammed Omar]]
| birth_date = 1963
| birth_place = [[Baraki Barak]], [[Logar Province|Logar]], [[Afghanistan]]
| birthname =
| nationality = [[Afghans|Afghan]]
| blank1 = Political affiliation
| data1 = [[Taliban]]
| party =
| otherparty =
| spouse =
| children =
| residence =
| alma_mater = [[University of Kabul]],
[[Indian Military Academy]]
| occupation =
| profession =
| cabinet =
| committees =
| portfolio =
| signature =
| signature_alt =
| website =
| footnotes = 
| nickname =
| allegiance = {{flagicon image|Flag of Afghanistan (1980–1987).svg}} [[Democratic Republic of Afghanistan]]
| branch = [[File:Emblem of the Afghan Military from 1978-1979.png|18px]] [[Afghan National Army]]
| serviceyears =
| rank = [[Lieutenant]]
| unit =
| commands =
| battles = [[Soviet–Afghan War]],
[[War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)]]
}}
'''Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai''' ({{Lang-ps|شیر محمد عباس ستانکزئی}} {{IPA-ps|ʃɪr mʊˈhamad aˈbɑs stɑnɪkˈzai|}}; born 1963) is a senior member of the Afghan [[Taliban]] and the country's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs since 7 September 2021.

He was an officer in the [[Afghan National Army]] after training at an army academy in India. He defected from the army and joined Islamic movements to fight the Soviets in Afghanistan. He was a deputy cabinet minister in the first Taliban government. He has been a senior member of the [[Taliban in Qatar|Taliban's political office in Doha]] since it was set up in 2012, and was its head from 2015 to 2020. He speaks English, [[Urdu]], Pashto and [[Dari]] and has travelled widely to other countries as a Taliban political representative. On 7 September, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid announced the future Cabinet of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan; Sher Abbas was appointed as [[Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs]]<ref>{{Cite web|date=September 7, 2021|title=Mullah Akhund to head 'caretaker' Taliban government in Afghanistan with Baradar, Hanafi as deputies|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/afghanistan-taliban-caretaker-new-government-kabul-mullah-akhund-baradar-haqqani-1850283-2021-09-07|access-date=2021-09-08|website=India Today|language=en}}</ref>

==Biography and early life==
Stanikzai was born in 1963 in the Abbas Qala area of the [[Baraki Barak]] district, in the [[Logar Province]] of Afghanistan.<ref name=Pajhwok_bios/> He is the son of Pacha Khan<ref name=Pajhwok_bios/> and is an ethnic Pashtun of the [[Stanikzai]] subtribe. He studied [[political science]] in Afghanistan,<ref name=TV18_Sep2021/> gaining a master's degree. He can speak English, Urdu, Pashto and Dari.<ref name=Pajhwok_bios>{{cite news |url= https://pajhwok.com/2020/09/10/biographies-intra-afghan-peace-talks-negotiators/ |title=Biographies of intra-Afghan peace talks negotiators |author=Ahmad Shah Erfanyar |date=10 September 2020 |work=Pajhwok Afghan News |access-date=4 September 2021}}</ref>

He trained as a soldier at the [[Army Cadet College]] of the Indian Army at [[Nowgong, Chhatarpur|Nowgaon]] in India for three years from 1979 to 1982 under an Indo-Afghan cooperation programme.<ref name=TV18_Sep2021/> He was also an officer cadet for a year and a half<ref>{{cite web |title=Army veterans remember top Taliban leader Stanikzai as 'Sheru' from 1982 IMA batch |url= https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/army-veterans-remember-top-taliban-leader-stanikzai-1843098-2021-08-20 |website=[[India Today]] |access-date=28 August 2021 |language=English}}</ref> with the Keren Company of the Bhagat Battalion at the [[Indian Military Academy]] in [[Dehradun]], one of 45 foreign cadets in the Keren Company. The Indian Military Academy trained cadets from a number of other countries in Asia and Africa. His fellow cadets nicknamed him "Sheru".<ref name=TV18_Sep2021>{{cite news |title=Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai: Top Taliban leader trained with Indian Army |date=1 September 2021 |url= https://www.cnbctv18.com/world/top-taliban-leader-sher-mohammad-abbas-stanikzai-aka-sheru-trained-with-indian-army-10577301.htm |newspaper=[[CNBC TV18]] |access-date=4 September 2021}}</ref> After graduating he was a lieutenant in the [[Afghan National Army]].<ref name="Ghosh">{{cite web |last1=Ghosh |first1=Poulomi |title=Who is Taliban leader 'Sheru', once trained at Dehradun's military academy? |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/who-is-taliban-leader-sheru-once-trained-at-dehradun-s-military-academy-101629557131660.html |publisher=[[Hindustan Times]] |access-date=28 August 2021 |language=English |date=21 August 2021}}</ref>

He defected from the army to fight against the Soviets in the [[Soviet–Afghan War]],<ref>{{Cite web |url= https://indianexpress.com/article/world/asia/ashraf-ghani-slams-pakistan-for-waging-undeclared-war/ |title=Ashraf Ghani slams Pakistan for waging 'undeclared war' |date=2015-06-02|website=The Indian Express|language=en-IN|access-date=2019-10-25}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url= https://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi/ima-talib-a-key-figure-in-doha-talks-with-us/story-wLHOiZIXya8jEjnyAvgJpJ.html |title='IMA Talib' a key figure in Doha talks with US|date=2013-06-28|website=Hindustan Times |language=en |access-date=2019-10-25}}</ref> first with [[Mohammad Nabi Mohammadi]]'s [[Islamic and National Revolution Movement of Afghanistan]], then with [[Abdul Rasul Sayyaf]]'s [[Islamic Union for the Liberation of Afghanistan]], as commander of its south-western front.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.afghan-bios.info/index.php?option=com_afghanbios&id=2486&task=view&total=3060&start=2668&Itemid=2|title=Database|website=afghan-bios.info}}</ref> He had a role with Sayyaf in liaison with Pakistani military intelligence. He was more urbane than most [[Afghan mujahideen]], and when in [[Quetta]], Pakistan, in the 1980s he often dined at restaurants with his wife. Other mujahideen gossiped about this; in return Stanikzai criticised them for old-fashioned ideas about keeping women secluded in their homes.<ref name=Mashal_2019>{{cite news |title=The president, the envoy and the talib: 3 lives shaped by war and study abroad |first=Mujib |last=Mashal |date=16 February 2019 |newspaper=[[New York Times]]}}</ref>

==Taliban rule (1996–2001)==
Stanikzai joined the [[Taliban]] in the 1990s. After they took power in 1996 he served as deputy minister of foreign affairs under foreign affairs minister [[Wakil Ahmed Muttawakil]]. Though he was reportedly not trusted by Muttawakil, he often gave interviews to foreign media, as he speaks English well. He traveled to Washington, D.C. as acting foreign minister in 1996 to ask the Clinton administration to extend diplomatic recognition to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/09/24/world/islamic-rule-weighs-heavily-for-afghans.html|title=Islamic Rule Weighs Heavily for Afghans|first=John F.|last=Burns|website=New York Times|date=24 September 1997}}</ref> In 1998 he reportedly drew the ire of Taliban leader [[Mullah Omar|Mohammed Omar]], possibly related to issues of abuse of power and a loose attitude to alcohol, and was removed from his position and placed under house arrest. However, his connections with the Pakistani military intelligence agency, which had influence over the Taliban leadership, worked in his favour and a few months later he was appointed as deputy minister of health, albeit a less important position than in foreign affairs. Stanikzai denied misconduct and put his change of role down to routine ministerial changes.<ref name=Mashal_2019/>

==Taliban political representative, 2001–2021==
[[File:Secretary Pompeo Meets with the Taliban Negotiation Team (50632321483).jpg|thumb|Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai (third from right) meeting US representative [[Zalmay Khalilzad]] (left) and Secretary of State [[Mike Pompeo]] (obscured), [[Doha]], [[Qatar]] on 21 November 2020]]
Stanikzai arrived in Qatar with [[Tayyab Agha]] and others in January 2012 to facilitate the opening of the Taliban's political office in that country.<ref>{{cite news |title=Taliban diplomats arrive in Qatar |first=Ben |last=Farmer |date=26 January 2012 |url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/9041544/Taliban-diplomats-arrive-in-Qatar.html |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]] |access-date=27 August 2021}}</ref> On 6 August 2015 he was appointed acting head of the political office, replacing Agha, who had resigned. After his appointment, Stanikzai pledged his allegiance to [[Akhtar Mansour]], saying "I and other members of the Political Office of the Islamic Emirate declare allegiance to the honorable Mullah Akhtar Mansoor." He was confirmed in his position as head of the political office in November 2015.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-afghanistan-taliban-idUSKBN0TD1QL20151124|title=Taliban appoint top official to Qatar political office|date=24 November 2015|work=Reuters}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.counterextremism.com/extremists/sher-mohammad-abbas-stanekzai-padshah-khan|title=Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai Padshah Khan|date=26 June 2017|publisher=}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Taliban resignation points to extent of internal divisions in leadership crisis |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/04/taliban-resignation-divisions-leadership-qatar-mullah-omar |access-date=25 January 2022 |work=[[Agence France-Presse]] |agency=[[The Guardian]] |date=4 August 2015 |location=[[Kabul]]}}</ref>

From July 18–22, 2016, he traveled to China for talks with Chinese officials.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-afghanistan-taliban-china-idUSKCN10A09H|title=Afghan Taliban delegation visits China to discuss unrest: sources|date=30 July 2016|work=Reuters}}</ref> In February 2017, Stanikzai was denied entry to the [[United Arab Emirates]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tolonews.com/afghanistan/taliban-envoys-barred-entering-uae|title=Taliban Envoys Barred From Entering UAE - TOLOnews|publisher=}}</ref>

From August 7 to 10 2018, Stanikzal led a delegation of Taliban officials to [[Uzbekistan]]. The delegation met with Uzbekistan's Foreign Minister [[Abdulaziz Kamilov]] and Uzbekistan's special representative to Afghanistan [[Ismatilla Irgashev]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-afghanistan-taliban/afghan-taliban-delegation-visits-uzbekistan-to-talk-security-power-lines-idUSKBN1KX056|title=Afghan Taliban delegation visits Uzbekistan to talk security, power...|date=12 August 2018|work=Reuters}}</ref> From August 12–15, he traveled to [[Indonesia]] for talks with officials, meeting Indonesian First Vice President [[Muhammad Jusuf Kalla]], Indonesia Foreign Minister [[Retno Marsudi]] and [[Hamid Awaluddin]], Indonesia's special representative for Afghanistan.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tolonews.com/afghanistan/taliban%C2%A0indonesian-officials-hold-talks-afghan-peace|title=Taliban, Indonesian Officials Hold Talks On Afghan Peace - TOLOnews|publisher=}}</ref> He became the deputy head of the office in September 2020, replaced by [[Abdul Hakim Ishaqzai]].

==Taliban rule (2021–present)==
Stanikzai addressed Afghanistan on [[Afghanistan National Television|national television]] and [[Radio Afghanistan|radio]] on August 30, 2021 where he spoke of the Taliban's desire for friendly relations with the United States, NATO and India, further stating that he would not allow Pakistan to use Afghan territory in [[India–Pakistan relations|its cold conflict with India]]. Stanikzai also spoke of the country's Sikhs and Hindus, stating that they can live peacefully and hoping that those who left will return.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theweek.in/news/world/2021/08/30/taliban-leader-hopes-afghan-hindus-sikhs-who-left-for-india-return.html|title = Taliban leader hopes Afghan Hindus, Sikhs who left for India return}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.firstpost.com/india/want-good-relations-with-all-neighbours-top-taliban-leader-sher-mohammad-abbas-stanikzai-tells-news18-9922561.html|title = Want good relations with all neighbours, top Taliban leader tells News18|date = 30 August 2021}}</ref>

During a televised speech in September 2022, Stanikzai urged the government to reopen schools for girls, saying that there is no religious justification to prevent female education.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Top Afghan Taliban Official Urges Reopening Girls’ Schools |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/top-afghan-taliban-official-urges-reopening-girls-schools/6765363.html |access-date=2022-10-19 |website=VOA |language=en}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Taliban}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stanikzai, Sher Mohammad Abbas}}
[[Category:Taliban leaders]]
[[Category:1963 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Afghan diplomats]]
[[Category:Afghan expatriates in India]]
[[Category:Afghan expatriates in Qatar]]
[[Category:Indian Military Academy alumni]]
[[Category:Pashtun people]]
[[Category:People from Logar Province]]
[[Category:Taliban government ministers of Afghanistan]]

Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai - Revision history

Bot at 06:11, 14 December 2022