Mohammad Yunus Khalis was born in 1919 in Nangarhar Province in Afghanistan and became a powerful figure in his country’s turbulent modern history. Educated in Islamic law and theology, Khalis exercised influence through his conservative vision of Islamic society.
Khalis was the head of the Islamic Party (Hezbe Islami-Khalis). Khalis played an important role in Afghanistan’s anti-communist war. In October of 2003, the Pakistani newspaper, The News International reported that Khalis had joined the Taliban’s fight against the US and International forces in Afghanistan. Shortly afterwards, Khalis went into hiding and was not heard of until his son announced his death on July 19, 2006. Khalis was 87. Anwar ul-Haq Mujahid, Khalis’s son, has taken over the party’s leadership.