Mohammad Rabbani

He served as prime minister of Afghanistan and head of the advisory council. On 9 April the United Nations Special Envoy went to Kabul and discussed with Mullah Rabbani and other Taliban leaders how to proceed with the idea of a Steering Committee for preparations for an ulema meeting. His demise is an irreparable loss.

When the Soviet Union chose to withdraw from Afghanistan in 1989 and after many more years of insurgenence and civil war he led the Taliban guerrillas in the final assault against the capital Kabul. While Rabbani and the ruling council constituted the public face of Afghanistan the important decisions were made by Mullah Mohammed Omar who resided in the southern city of Kandahar.