Who is the de facto Taliban leader, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar?

After more than 20 years in exile, Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar has returned to Afghanistan following the insurgent group’s swift takeover of the country on August 15, 2021. While Haibatullah Akhundzada is considered the supreme leader of the Taliban, Baradar has been the movement’s most public face with a near-legendary status within the group.