Gulbuddin Hekmatyar

Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, born in 1947, Afghan military and political leader and prime minister of Afghanistan (1993-1994; 1996). Hekmatyar was born in Baghlān, a member of the Pashtun ethnic group. He first became involved in politics as an engineering student at Kābul University and joined the political Jamiat-i-Islami (Islamic Society) in the early 1970s. After Muhammad Daud overthrew the Afghan government in 1973, Hekmatyar went to Pakistan. There, with the clandestine support of the Pakistan government, Hekmatyar put together a small but well-trained group of mujahideen (guerrilla) commanders to fight the regime in Kābul. Following a rift with Jamiat-i-Islami members, Hekmatyar founded the Hezb-i-Islami (Islamic Party) in 1976. The Islamic Party seeks the establishment of an Islamic republic in Afghanistan. After the Union of Soviet Socialists Republics (USSR) invaded Afghanistan in 1979, Hekmatyar’s mujahideen also fought the Soviets.

The Soviets withdrew from Afghanistan in 1989, but the civil war continued. In 1992 the rival factions, including Hekmatyar’s, agreed to establish an interim governing council, with Burhanuddin Rabbani as president. Hekmatyar was made prime minister in June 1993, but he resigned his post in 1994 to launch a military offensive against troops loyal to Rabbani. In May 1996 Hekmatyar signed a peace accord with Rabbani for the purpose of joining forces to fight the Taliban, an Islamic fundamentalist group; in June he was once again named prime minister. After the Taliban invaded and occupied the capital, Kābul, in September 1996, Hekmatyar fled north and joined with other factions in an opposition alliance against the Taliban.