Recent Appearances...

Warning: Undefined array key "rbname" in /data/rantburg.com/www/pgrecentorg.php on line 14
Hello !
Recent Appearances...

Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

Between ISIS and Ukraine. What does the handwriting of the terrorist attack at Crocus say?

2024-03-26

Direct Translaion via Google Translate. Edited.
by Kirill Semenov

Long. Lots of useful information about ISIS at the bottom.

[REGNUM] The terrorist organization Islamic State (ISIS), took responsibility for the terrible terrorist attack in the Crocus City Hall concert hall near Moscow. But this only adds questions about the true organizers of the tragedy.

The first message on behalf of Amaq, the main information resource of ISIS, released on March 22, was duplicated on several ISIS-related information platforms, for example, on the ISIS channel “Nashir News” and the pro-ISIS channel “Ilam”, as was also done during other terrorist attacks. On March 23, Amaq published a more detailed statement from ISIS with details of the terrorist attack and with a photo of its perpetrators in front of the organization’s flag.

On the same day, but a little later, there was an official statement from the “press service” of ISIS, which was distributed through channels associated with this terrorist organization. And finally, also on March 23, an Amaq News video appeared with horrifying scenes of the terrorists' actions, filmed by themselves, entitled "Amaq Agency Exclusive Footage."

The fact that the faces of the terrorists in the photos and videos were “blurred” should not be embarrassing and does not indicate the fake nature of these frames. For example, during the terrorist attack in Iranian Kerman, the statement of the terrorists against the backdrop of the ISIS flag was published with “blurred” faces. This is a common but not required practice.

At the same time, there are doubts that the terrorists who carried out the massacre of our fellow citizens had deep ideological ties with ISIS and were recruited directly by emissaries of this group.

The investigation will put a final point on this, but in any case, the involvement of ISIS in this terrorist attack cannot in any way exclude the possibility that, in fact, behind the attack on Crocus City were the intelligence services of states hostile to Russia, primarily the Kiev regime, which took advantage of the “flag” » ISIS and the willingness of these terrorists to chalk up the inhumane act to their own account.

For the “caliphate,” as ISIS calls itself, the statement that its “soldiers” carried out a terrorist attack is, first and foremost, an indicator of the viability of the project.

True.

Therefore, in the current conditions, “ISIS” members are not particularly picky about the ideology of the perpetrators, as well as how correctly they understand the dogmatic and other guidelines of this group.

We’ve noticed.

For them, the main thing is to maintain the myth that the “caliphate project” is alive, as is its slogan “to survive and expand.” In this case, we are talking about expanding the group’s activity to those territories where it has not yet declared itself with the bloodiest terrorist attacks, as in the Russian Federation.

On the other hand, for Kyiv, using the ISIS brand is a good way to evade responsibility, but at the same time achieve the same goals as if this terrorist attack was carried out by militants whose affiliation with the Zelensky regime is unconditional.

Russa desperately wants to hang tuis round Kiev’s neck…

It is significant that this terrorist action clearly fits into the outline of a terrorist attack on the Russian Federation against the backdrop of the inability of the Ukrainian Armed Forces to achieve success in the zone of the Northern Military District.

Hence the DRG attacks on the Belgorod and Kursk regions, the constant shelling of our cities,

…which Russia started…

kamikaze drone strikes on civilian vehicles and even individual citizens, and, finally, the terrorist attack in Crocus City Hall as the apogee of this terrorist offensive.

According to the organizers, the offensive should sow distrust of the population in the authorities, highlight all the most pressing problems (migration, interfaith and interethnic relations), turning cracks in them into fault lines, make Russians realize that now the war concerns each of them, and wherever they are were located from Belgorod to Vladivostok, they cannot feel safe. And even where drones and MLRS missiles cannot reach, terrorists can overtake them.

In this case, for Kyiv it does not matter what brand or name these terrorists have - RDK, ISIS or anything else. The main thing is to achieve your desired goals. Make Russian citizens doubt their choice, which they made on March 15–17, 2024.

As for the possibility of organizing such terrorist attacks, for which ISIS will ultimately take responsibility, a hypothetical situation may look like this: a certain group, attracted through combined recruitment methods, that is, material interest, Russophobia and radical religious attitudes, is being trained and receives everything it needs from the intelligence services of third countries.

Then, in agreement with the same special services, which can act as some kind of “preachers,” they make a statement to ISIS, indicating that they are preparing an attack and that they swear an oath to ISIS, thus receiving the status of “soldiers of the caliphate.” This is in effect for notice.

No emissaries will come and check how sincere these (in)people are in their belief in the ideology of ISIS and share its guidelines; no one will demand a preliminary plan of operation either. This can be done after the fact, and it is even possible that the future terrorist should first record the oath (bayat) of ISIS, send or post the recording in a safe place, without sending directly to the real, deeply secret structures of the terrorist organization, with which he simply does not have communication channels.

All this makes it easier for interested third parties to use the ISIS flag.

It is also noteworthy that the ISIS statement includes the definition of “soldiers of the caliphate”, that is, we are talking about people previously unknown to these terrorists who declared an oath and carried out a terrorist attack on their behalf, without being sent to a particular country by the “central command” of ISIS and the Amniyat security service.

If the terrorist attack is planned directly by Amniyat and proven militants, then the terrorists are no longer declared “soldiers of the caliphate,” but “martyr brothers,” and from the wording itself one can conclude that there is no provision for saving their lives after the terrorist attack.

“INGHIMASI” WITHOUT “ISTISHKHADIYEV”
Formally, ISIS fighters on the battlefield (including during sabotage or terrorist attacks) can be divided into three types, which, in turn, are divided into subtypes: this is the “infantry” itself with light small arms, RPGs and ATGMs; “Istishhadi” - suicide bombers to break through the enemy’s defenses and cause damage to his manpower, who are sent by Amniyat to carry out terrorist attacks; "ingimasi" - "commandos" or "stormtroopers", usually trained fighters for operations and actions in difficult areas, who can also wear suicide "belts", but detonate them only when necessary.

For example, in issue No. 11 of the ISIS magazine “Rumiyah”, the combined terrorist attacks in Tehran are described as follows: the first group of “Istishhadis” blew themselves up at the Khomeini mausoleum, the second group of “Inghimasis” of three people attacked the parliament building.

Accordingly, the terrorists from Crocus City were also called “ingimasi”, despite the fact that among them there were no “istishkhadis”, who are usually used in the preparation of terrorist attacks by Amniyat.

Therefore, now, during the decline of ISIS, the procedure for declaring a “soldier of the caliphate” has become even more simplified. And it allows virtually anyone to use the “ISIS brand.” Especially if we are not talking about suicide attacks, where ideological pumping is required, but about the actions of the “Ingimasyev”.

At the same time, it is obvious that the Crocus terrorists themselves did not have the capabilities to prepare such a terrorist attack, but were most likely selected for the implementation of a specific plan. Weapons caches were organized, waste routes were worked out, and so on. All that ISIS in Russia could hardly organize, but that the intelligence services and local agents of third countries could provide in the interests of terrorists acting on behalf of ISIS.

Again, the Islamic rhetoric appearing as if specifically on the video recording of the terrorist attack should convince these individuals of their “sincere” adherence to the ISIS ideology. Probably, the customers themselves could have asked them for this, which was included in the “price” for ruined human lives.

At the moment, there is no convincing evidence of the involvement of those arrested in Salafi or radical Islamist circles, just as there are no signs of their stable affiliation with the corresponding subculture.

The terrorist attack was not carried out at all in the style of the relevant terrorist organizations.

When attacking such a significant object with an entire armed group, where security forces and police were supposed to arrive, ISIS, obviously, in its own planning of this operation, would be extremely interested in the “ingimasi” eventually blowing up their “suicide belts” when entering the battle.

Those cases when ISIS terrorists left the scene of a terrorist attack are noticeably different from the events at Crocus in terms of the scale of preparation and planning and are more likely to be of a spontaneous nature, like in January 2024 in Istanbul.

"VELAYAT KHORASAN"
In this context, it should also be noted that the statements of ISIS themselves did not say anything that their cell “Islamic State - Velayat Khorasan” (ISIS-K) was behind the terrorist attacks in the Russian Federation.

It is generally believed that this is an Afghan-Pakistani affiliate of ISIS. And the fact that the terrorist attack was carried out by Tajiks should have convinced everyone that ISIS-X was behind it. Let us recall that the terrorist attacks in Iranian Kerman on behalf of ISIS-X were carried out by people from Tajikistan, as was the January terrorist attack in Istanbul.

ISIS-X, dominated by Tajiks and Uzbeks, is trying to become the most active cell of ISIS along with the group’s African branches and spread its terrorist activity to almost all of Eurasia.

Actually, ISIS-X, dominated by Tajiks and Uzbeks, is trying to become the most active cell of ISIS along with the group’s African branches and spread its terrorist activity to almost all of Eurasia.

Initially, ISIS-X had Pakistani roots, in the sense that its activities spread to Afghanistan from Pakistan.

Its existence should be counted from September 2014.

Then a “delegation” of IS arrived in the Pakistani province of Waziristan from Syria and Iraq and held negotiations with some representatives of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an independent Pakistani jihadist structure fighting Islamabad and not associated with the Afghan Taliban, although consonant in the name. Among the leaders of this group were those who moved away from the traditional Hanafi madhhab for Pashtuns and began to profess Arabian Salafism.

This caused a split in the TTP, and some of its Salafi field commanders tried to impose their views as the only true ones for the entire organization, which, however, did not meet with understanding among the majority of militants and Tehrik leaders. This is what ISIS tried to take advantage of.

As a result of negotiations with IS emissaries, on October 15, 2015, Hafiz Said Khan, one of its leaders, officially left the TTP, along with seven other top-level “schismatics,” including the “official” TTP representative Shahidullah Shahid ; TTP district chief Khyber Gul Zaman Fateh ; TTP Chief Mufti in Peshawar Hassan Swati ; Kurram District Chief Hafiz Dawlat Khan ; TTP commander in Waziristan Abdul Bahar Mehsud and others.

They created a new group called Tehreek-e-Khilafat Pakistan (TCP), pledging allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi

ISIS-X was proclaimed on January 11, 2015 and became the successor to the TKP, and Said Khan became its first leader.

The group was unable to gain a foothold in Pakistan due to the rather effective actions of local security forces and the conflict with the TTP and tried to transfer its activity to Afghanistan, where by June 2015 it occupied some areas in the Nananghar province, which is still one of the centers of ISIS activity.

After the Americans eliminated Hafiz Said Khan in 2016 and his successor Abdul Hasib Logari in 2017, ISIS-X actually split into two independent factions, as numerous people from the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and other representatives of the Central Asian republics refused to recognize the new leadership ISIS-X is led by Pashtuns who came from Afghanistan.

Thus, two independent groups began to operate under the brand “Islamic State Vilayat Khorasan” in 2017. One - consisting of natives of the Central Asian republics and local Tajiks and Uzbeks who joined them, and the other - of Pakistani Pashtuns and Afghan Salafis from the provinces of Kunar and Nuristan.

This division probably continues to this day, but with a significant dominance of Uzbeks and Tajiks.

At the same time, ISIS-X, having invaded Afghanistan, entered into confrontation not only with government troops and the international contingent, but also with the Taliban, who were able to inflict a number of sensitive defeats on ISIS. For example, they defeated the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, which decided to join ISIS-X.

Subsequently, the main burden of countering ISIS in Afghanistan also fell on the Taliban, while government troops, on the contrary, often saved the “ISIS” from complete destruction. As this, for example, happened during the Battle of Darzab in July 2018, where the main forces of ISIS-X were concentrated in Afghanistan at that time.

The Taliban practically destroyed this group of 700 militants (of which 128 were captured). There were 200 survivors who turned to the Afghan pro-American government for help. It provided them with a corridor to retreat to territories controlled by government forces, so as not to be completely destroyed by the Taliba. There, the remnants of this group surrendered to the Afghan authorities.

Currently, despite terrorist attacks, ISIS-X in Afghanistan is significantly weaker than in 2017–2018. The group can carry out individual acts of intimidation, but is unable to ensure sustainable territorial control over entire regions.

Therefore, it is likely that the Taliban will be able to restrain the activity of ISIS-X and prevent any cities and regions from falling under its control, but it is unlikely that in the foreseeable future they will be able to completely eliminate all cells of this terrorist organization in Afghanistan.

In turn, ISIS-X seeks to demonstrate its activity through various terrorist attacks, thereby compensating for its own failures in Afghanistan, and at the same time, it is probably ready to provide “its flag” to anyone who will bring “black resonance” to the group.

Link

Afghanistan

Taliban Accused Of Forcibly Evicting Ethnic Uzbeks, Turkmen In Northern Afghanistan

2021-12-11

[PUBLISH.TWITTER]

Taliban Accused Of Forcibly Evicting Ethnic Uzbeks, Turkmen In Northern Afghanistanhttps://t.co/lXKsAMqqgA
— SHAFAQ News (@Shafaqnews) December 10, 2021

Not even a hint of this in our usual Afghan sources, except the eviction of Hazeras in September and complaints from Panjshir Valley after the Talibs put down the rebellion.

Taliban
...Arabic for students...
fighters have been accused of forcibly evicting more than 1,000 people in northern Afghanistan, with the evictions targeting members of the ethnic Uzbek and Turkmen communities.

Ethnic Uzbeks and Turkmen allege that Pashtuns seized their homes and land in the northern province of Jowzjan with the help of the Taliban, a predominately Pashtun group.

The evictions came as Taliban fighters have expelled hundreds of Shi’ite Hazara
Hazara

...a grouping of Dari-speaking people of Sino-Tibetan descent inhabiting Afghanistan and Pakistain. They are predominantly Shia Moslems and not particularly warlike, which makes them favored targets...
families from their homes and farms in five provinces since the ~~bandidos~~ holy warriors seized power in Afghanistan in August.

Rights groups say the Taliban’s forced displacement of residents is an attempt to distribute land to their own supporters and collectively punish communities that backed the former government.

Abdullah says he is among those who have been displaced in Darzab, a remote district in Jowzjan.

He says Taliban fighters accompanied by Pashtun nomads forced more than 1,000 ethnic Uzbeks and Turkmen from their homes and farms in Darzab and Qush Tepa, a neighboring district in Jowzjan, on November 27.

Abdullah, who requested that his real name not be used out of concern for his safety, told RFE/RL’s Radio Azadi that the provincial Taliban authorities had promised to send a delegation to investigate the alleged land seizures. But he said on December 8 that the delegation had yet to arrive.

"This has been our land for hundreds of years," he says. "We have cultivated it and it belongs to us."

Faizullah, a resident of Qush Tepa, says Pashtun nomads with the help of the Taliban seized more than 20,000 acres of their land.

"Nobody could resist," he says. "If we raised our voices, we would be killed."

Ghulam Sarwar Alizai, a representative for Pashtun nomads in Jowzjan, says land ownership is often unclear because the disputed properties are on government land.

He says the nomads want to return to the pastures that they were prevented from accessing for around two decades.

"Some of our [Uzbek and Turkmen] brothers acknowledge that the land is owned by the government, but they had worked hard to cultivate the barren land," he told Radio Azadi. "A tribal council comprising five people from each side will be the best setting to find a solution."

The Taliban did not respond to calls and text messages from RFE/RL seeking comment.

But in comments to the BBC on November 29, Taliban front man Bilal Karimi denied any forced displacements had taken place in Jowzjan.

"No such thing has happened and the situation in Qush Tepa is calm," he said, adding that the authorities were investigating the issue "and would not allow anyone or any group to encroach on anyone's property."

Disputed sample censuses dating back to the 1970s estimate the Pashtun population at just over 40 percent, followed by ethnic Tajiks at less than 30 percent with Hazara and Uzbeks at around 10 percent. Various smaller minorities account for the rest of the population.

Since regaining power, the Taliban has been accused of forcibly evicting thousands of people across the country.

In October, the Taliban forcibly evicted hundreds of Hazara families from southern Helmand
...an Afghan province populated mostly by Pashtuns, adjacent to Injun country in Pak Balochistan...
Province and the northern province of Balkh.

In late September, some 700 Hazara were forcibly evicted by the Taliban in the central province of Daikundi. The Taliban claimed that they were implementing a Taliban court order that required the land to be returned to what it said were its original owners.

The evictions have not only targeted non-Pashtuns. The Taliban also evicted fellow Pashtuns in the southern province of Kandahar. The evictions targeted those who had served in the former government or its armed forces.

"The Taliban should cease forcible evictions and adjudicate land disputes according to the law and a fair process," Patricia Gossman, associate Asia director at Human Rights Watch (HRW), told RFE/RL.

Gossman said northern Afghanistan has a long history of collective punishment and forced evictions. She said that after the U.S.-led invasion in 2001 toppled the Taliban regime from power, the U.S.-backed Northern Alliance "engaged in evictions of local Pashtuns."

The former Northern Alliance, a coalition of anti-Taliban groups that resisted Taliban rule from 1996 to 2001, consisted mainly of ethnic Tajiks, Uzbeks, and Hazara.

Before the Northern Alliance, the "Taliban did it against other groups," Gossman adds.

"Efforts after 2001 to reform the land ownership system failed because of the power of strongmen and warlords, including those in the administration and parliament," she said.

Many of the land disputes in northern Afghanistan are a legacy of the forced and voluntary resettlement of Pashtuns in the region in the 19th century. Starting from the 1880s, Afghan King Abdur Rahman Khan, a Pashtun from the south, forcibly relocated thousands of people from rival Pashtun communities from eastern Afghanistan to the north, where there was only a tiny Pashtun population. The Pashtun settlers were often given free land and received tax exemptions. In the 20th century, Pashtuns also voluntarily settled in northern Afghanistan.

"Both the forced and voluntary ~~migrants~~ colonists were allocated land by the central government, a development that fostered tensions with communities that consequently lost access to farmland and pastures," said a HRW report released in 2002.

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, refugees from Central Asia also arrived in northern Afghanistan. Many of them fled Tsarist Russia’s invasion of Central Asia and the emergence of the Soviet Union.

Link

Afghanistan

Taliban gang-raped, shot a teenager dead in Jawzjan: Officials claim

2021-04-07

[KhaamaPress] Security sources in the north of the country stated that the Taliban
Taliban

...Arabic for students...
gang-raped and shot a 16-year-old girl to death in Jawzjan province.

209th Shaheen Corps in a released statement said the incident happened on Sunday in Darzab district of Jawzjan province.

According to the statement, Talibs kidnapped the maiden of tender years and her parents two months ago.

Residents of Qush Tapah and Darzab districts of Jawzjan have gathered in a rally to protest and staged demonstrations against the incident, the protesters demanded the release of the girl’s parents.

They also demanded that the Taliban should hand over the teenager’s body to them

Taliban have not yet commented on the incident.

Jawzjan Province is located in the north of Afghanistan and is one of the most insecure locations in the country as the Taliban has a large influence over the area.

Link

Afghanistan

Taliban Red Unit Commander Killed in North Clashes

2020-10-07

[KhaamaPress] A commander of the Taliban’s Red Unit

...in Pashto “Sara Kheta‎”, they’re the Taliban’s special forces/rapid deployment commando unit, also known as Red Group, Blood Unit, Danger Group, or Taliban Special Forces Unit. They first saw major action in Sangin, Helmand in 2016, then played a part in the defeat of ISIS two years later in Darzab, Jowzjan. They draw their fighters from the Pakistani madrassahs, get all the cool toys plus cycles of violence, and are supposed to be especially good at night fighting, with the caveat that they go through Number Ones fairly quickly...

was killed during festivities with Afghan Security Forces in Badakhshan province, local authorities confirmed.

Sanaullah Rohani, front man for the Badakhshan police, said the armed government opposition Sunday night attacked Jorm district of Badakhshan province, surrounding the area. But suffered heavy retaliation by Afghan forces.

According to Rohani, the festivities started at around 5 p.m. Sunday and lasted until 11 p.m., warding off at least three of separate attacks.

"As a result of the festivities, Qari Saber, a commander to Taliban
Taliban

...mindless ferocity in a turban...
’s Red Unit in Badakhshan, including his three guards, are killed," Rohani said. "Qari Shamsullah, a group leader of the Taliban, including four of his members, were maimed, making them retreat."

Meanwhile,
...back at the fist fight, Jake ducked another roundhouse, then parried with his left, then with his right, finally with his chin...
at least one Afghan forces maimed during the battle.

Link

Afghanistan

Concerns Grow about Foreign Militants in North

2020-07-06

[ToloNews] An increase in the presence of foreign bully boyz in the north and northeast part of Afghanistan is raising fears that the situation will worsen if not addressed.

According to politicians from the north, the fighters are entering the country from neighboring countries and have stations in Badakhshan, Takhar, Kunduz, Jawzjan and Faryab.

"Extremist foreigners have been stationed in Badakhshan to Kunduz to parts of Takhar and parts of Darzab and Qoshtepa (districts) of Jawzjan, Almar and Qaisar of Faryab, Kohistan

Link

Afghanistan

Despite years of bribes, Taliban destroys telecom towers following occupancy of a district in northern Jawzjan province

2020-01-03

[KhaamaPress] Taliban
Taliban

...Arabic for students...
has destroyed three telecom towers in Darzab district of northern Jawzjan province, officials said.

Talibs took over Darzab, a district in northern Jawzjan province of Afghanistan on Tuesday, they put on fire and destroyed three telecom towers following the occupancy of the area, Maroof Azar, a spokesperson to Jawzjan governor told media.

The telecom towers destroyed by Taliban belong to three private telecommunication firms including Roshan, MTN and Etisalat, Azar said.

According to Azar, the residence of Darsab and Ghos Tapa districts of Jawzjan province have lost mobile connections as a result of this incident.

"Taliban were going to destroy a ’public hospital’ in Darzab too, which was avoided due to the mediation of elders of Darzab.", Maroof Azar said.

Taliban took over the full control of Darzab district on Tuesday, the ANSDF drew back peacefully on the demand of Darzab districts who were tired of fighting between the two parties in the last 90 days.

“Just let us surrender in peace — it can’t be worse than what they’re doing to us now.”

However,
you can observe a lot just by watching...
Afghanistan Ministry of Defense (MOD) had said in a statement that Afghan forces have changed their base from ’Antan Hill’ to another location due to cold weather condition.

This comes as another report earlier suggested that MTN, a privately registered telecom service provider in Afghanistan and part of the Global MTN, the largest South African Telecom firm has been accused of bribing Taliban and al-Qaeda terrorist groups in Afghanistan for safeguarding their ’transmission towers’.

The allegation is under review of a federal court in the United States.

MTN says it is reviewing allegations that it paid protection money to bully boy Islamist groups in Afghanistan.

"It remains of the view that it conducts its business in a "responsible and compliant manner in all its territories". MTN has said.

MTN has bribed Taliban to safeguard their ‘transmission towers’ in Afghanistan

[KhaamaPress] MTN Afghanistan, a child company to the global MTN, the largest telecommunication firm in South Africa has bribed Taliban
...mindless ferocity in a turban...
, to safeguard their ’transmission towers’ in Afghanistan, BBC reported.

Serious complaints have been filed against MTN for bribing Taliban and Al Qaeda terrorist groups in Afghanistan.

The allegations, made in a legal complaint filed in a US federal court on Friday, said the firm violated US anti-terrorism laws. It was filed on behalf of families of US citizens killed in attacks in Afghanistan.

Five other companies were also named in the filing.

The complaint alleges MTN paid bribes to al-Qaeda and the Taliban to avoid having to invest in in expensive security for their transmission towers. The alleged payments helped finance a Taliban-led insurgency that led to the attacks in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2017, the accusations say.

It is alleged that the money helped to provide "material support to known terrorist organizations," thus violating the anti-terrorism legislation.

MTN says it is reviewing allegations that it paid protection money to holy warrior Islamist groups in Afghanistan.

"It remains of the view that it conducts its business in a "responsible and compliant manner in all its territories". MTN has said.

MTN is Africa’s largest mobile operator and the eighth largest in the world, with more than 240 million subscribers.

Link

Afghanistan

Taliban takes over Darzab district of northern Jawzjan province

2020-01-01

[KhaamaPress] Taliban
Taliban

...Arabic for students...
has taken over Darzab district of northern Jawzjan province as the ANSDF have drawn back from the area bearing no casualties, official said.

Maroof Azar, a spokesperson for the Jawzjan province told Khaama Press that Afghanistan National Security Defense Force based at ’Antan Hill’ in Darzab district of Jawzjan have peacefully drawn back from the area as per the demands of the residence of Darzab.

"Almost 50% of the district was in the hands of Taliban for the last 3 months, the residents of the district ere fed up of a continuous war.", Azar said.

"Around 2,000 residence of Darzab district had spoken with the Taliban commanders based in Darzab, requesting them for a ’ceasefire’, but Taliban did not accept it, therefore the residence came to ANSDF asking for a draw back for the sake of peace and security.", Maroof Azar added.

"The ANSDF have fully drawn back from Darzab, leaving the district including the ’Antan Hill’ military base for Taliban", Maroof said.

The area is now in full control of Talibs, Maroof confirmed.

Afghanistan Ministry of Defense (MOD) has said in a statement that Afghan forces have changed their base from ’Antan Hill’ to another location due to cold weather condition.

Link

Afghanistan

Afghan forces clash with Taliban militants in two districts of Jawzjan

2019-11-23

[KhaamaPress] The security forces killed three Talibs during two separate festivities in northern Jawzjan province of Afghanistan, the Afghan military said.

According to a statement released by 209th Shaheen Corps, the security forces clashed with Talibs in Darya Khana area of Darzab district and Charshangho area of Manjeek district on Wednesday afternoon.

The statement further added the security forces killed three Talibs during the two festivities.

An Afghan soldier also sustained injuries during the festivities, the 209th Shaheen Corps added in its statement.

The Taliban
Taliban

...Arabic for students...
group has not commented regarding the two festivities so far.

Link

Afghanistan

Taliban Has Lost Command And Control Of War: Interior Minister Andarabi

2019-10-04

We were wondering about the skill level of the Afghan forces the other day. Here is a datum:

[ToloNews] Confidence in Afghan forces grows after election, but fierce fighting spreads to the north.

The Taliban
...Arabic for students...
has lost the initiative in the war and has no choice but to join the grinding of the peace processor, the acting interior minister Massoud Andarabi said on Wednesday.

Andarabi, visiting Mazar-e-Sharif, the capital of Balkh province, said that security forces prevented the Taliban from gaining political power through fighting, and that the Taliban have no choice but to either join the grinding of the peace processor or be eliminated.

"The Taliban has lost command and control; the only way left for them is the grinding of the peace processor," Andarabi said.

Calling on Taliban members, Andarabi said: "If you can, come and achieve your goals through the way of peace. We have proven that the security and defense forces will certainly not allow any power to grow or succeed through the bloodshed of Afghan people."

Andarabi made these remarks at a ceremony concluding a training course for special forces soldiers and officers at the Special Forces Command Training Center in Mazar-e-Sharif.

Nearly 200 soldiers and officers of the Special Forces have received six months of professional training from local and foreign trainers.

The Ministry of Interior Special Police Units general commander, Brig. Mir Ahmad Azimi, and the Special Police Units Training Center commander attended the ceremony. During the remarks, it was announced that security forces have rescued the Zari district of Balkh, the Tala Wa Barfak district of Baghlan, and the Darzab district of Jawzjan province.

"Three days ago, there was a lot of fighting in the district of Drazab, but 45 of our troops went there and rescued the district, and those who went to rescue the district had graduated from this same center," Azimi said.

Meanwhile,
...back at the cheese factory, there was only one thought in the mouse's mind: I can do this! I can do this! Then the trap sprung...
an American trainer who spoke at the ceremony said that the soldiers’ newly-acquired skills will give them a competitive edge.

"I don’t care what enemy you face, Taliban, ISIS
ISIS

...embracing their inner Islamic Brute...
, al-Qaeda, they are not as good as you. Yes, they are dangerous, but you are better trained and you are more determined and you will defeat them every time," said the American trainer.

Acting Minister Andarabi also praised the security forces for being impartial on the Presidential election day.

"The neutrality of the police in this election was unprecedented," Andarabi said.

The forces have obtained their certificates as insecurity has spread to a number of northern provinces, and Afghan people are now wondering whether they will take the initiative on the battlefield or not.

Link

Afghanistan

11 Police Killed/Wounded In Balkh, Police Under Siege in Jawzjan

2019-10-02

[ToloNews] Reinforcements have arrived in Shor Tepa, Balkh, but Jawzjan’s police standoff with the Taliban
Taliban

...Arabic for students...
is ongoing and they are still waiting for assistance.

At least 11 security forces were killed or maimed on Monday night during a clash with the Taliban in Balkh province, local officials said Tuesday.

Monir Ahmad Farhad, front man for the Balkh police, said the incident occurred on Monday night in Shor Tepa district after Taliban fighters attacked the district police headquarters.

According to Farhad, during the clash the Taliban also suffered casualties, but numbers have not been confirmed.

Reinforcements have arrived in the area, and the district is currently under the control of Afghan forces, Farhad said.

The Taliban confirmed the attack and claimed that dozens of Afghan soldiers were killed in the clash.

In Jawzjan province, 30 local police and armed locals‐including the district governor and the district police chief‐have been held under siege by the Taliban for the past two days in the Darzab district of the province, officials say.

Lotfullah Azizi, Jawzjan provincial governor, said that the district capital is under the Taliban’s control and that the Afghan forces are pinned down close to the district bazaar.

Azizi said that so far no reinforcements have arrived to the area.

Hafizullah Nadrat, a member of the Jawzjan provincial council, said that if reinforcements are not deployed, the government forces will be captured by the Taliban.

An Nahar’s version of events in Shortepa district must have been posted earlier in the day:

At least 11 policemen were killed and over a dozen captured Tuesday when Taliban fighters stormed their headquarters in northern Afghanistan, officials said.

A column of more than 400 Taliban fighters on motorbikes attacked Shortepa district police headquarters in Balkh province in the early hours, triggering a lengthy gunfight, provincial spokesman Munir Farhad told AFP.

"Eleven policemen were killed in the attack. The Taliban also suffered heavy losses," he said.

Karim Khan, the Shortepa district chief, told AFP the Taliban had captured 13 other policemen and set the headquarters' buildings on fire before leaving the area.

In a statement, the Taliban claimed responsibility, saying their fighters had overrun the district.

Link

Afghanistan

Death toll in Taliban roadside bombing rises to 13 in Kandahar, over 30 more wounded

2019-07-17

[KhaamaPress] The corpse count as a result of a roadside kabooming in southern Kandahar province has climbed to 13 people with 30 more maimed.

The 205th Atal Corps in a statement said an improvised bomb planted by Taliban
Taliban

...mindless ferocity in a turban...
went off in Khakrez district.

The statement further added that the earth-shattering kaboom killed 13 civilians including children and maimed more than 30 others.

Furthermore, the 205th Atal Corps said the civilians were travelling between Darzab and Mandigak areas when their vehicle struck the roadside kaboom.

The 205th Atal Corps also added that the earth-shattering kaboom took place at around 1:45 pm local time on Monday.

Link

Afghanistan

Roadside Bomb Blast In Kandahar Kills Nine Civilians

2019-07-16

[ToloNews] The explosion happened in Darzab village in Khakrez district of the southern province of Kandahar.

At least nine non-combatants were killed and 18 others maimed in a kaboom in Kandahar Province on Monday afternoon, the provincial governor Hayatullah Hayat said.

Hayat told TOLOnews that the earth-shattering kaboom happened at around 2 pm Kabul time in Darzab area in Khakrez district of the province.

He said the roadside kaboom hit a truck which was carrying civilians.

Eyewitnesses said some women were also among the victims.

Hayat said that those maimed in the earth-shattering kaboom were taken to Mirwais Hospital in the province.

Hayat claimed that the Taliban
Taliban

...Arabic for students...
is behind the incident.

Taliban has not commented on the report.

This comes after a sharp rise in civilian casualties in the ongoing violence in the country. Recently attacks claimed by the Taliban in Kabul, Ghazni and Badghis provinces left dozens of civilians dead many others maimed.

Khaama Press adds:

Kandahar Police Chief Gen. Tadin Khan Achakzai said the earth-shattering kaboom killed 9 civilians and maimed 34 others.

Furthermore, Gen. Tadin Khan blamed the Taliban
...the Pashtun equivalent of men...
group for pursuing violence and planting the improvised bomb.

Link

Warning: Undefined property: stdClass::$T in /data/rantburg.com/www/pgrecentorg.php on line 132
-12 More