Hyder Akbar

Who is Hyder Akbar?

Hyder Akbar is an author and former translator for US forces in Afghanistan.

Akbar, a citizen of both Afghanistan and the United States, attended Diablo Valley College and transferred to Yale University. Akbar is from a political family, including Said Shamsoudin Majroh, who was the architect of Afghanistan's first constitution in 1964 and who had served as the Minister of Justice and Head of Tribal Affairs; Said Bahaoudin Majroh, who had served as Governor and was considered one of Afghanistan's leading intellectuals; and another influential member of the family was Shal Pacha, a tribal leader whose influence was particularly strong in the eastern region as well as the FATA areas of Pakistan. His father is Said Fazel Akbar, a former governor of the Kunar Province of Afghanistan.

While assisting US forces, Akbar encouraged an Afghan man, Abdul Wali, to turn himself in and assured Wali he would not be mistreated. Akbar accompanied Wali to a US base, and served as a translator for David Passaro, a former special forces soldier, who the CIA hired, on contract, to serve as an interrogator—even though he had no background in interrogation. Akbar later described Passaro as "full of rage" and "a big a-hole". He said he had to stop translating because Passaro became too aggressive. After Akbar left, Wali was beaten by Passaro and later died from his injuries.