Taliban

Taliban, or Taliba (Pashto طالبان - students, students of madrasas) is an Islamist radical religious and political paramilitary movement banned in many countries of the world (including Russia), which originated in Afghanistan among Pashtuns in 1994, ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001 and returned to power in 2021.

Fractions

For June 2022, there are strong disagreements among the Taliban. Four main fractions can be distinguished:

• "Starovers" led by the emir of the so-called. "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan" Haibatullah Akhundzada.
• The Progressives, led by acting Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Ghani Baradar and his supporters.
• "Heirs," led by the son of Taliban founder Mulla Omar, acting Defense Minister Muhammad Yaqub.
• Radicals led by acting Home Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani.

History

2023: Push to help Hamas conquer Jerusalem in war with Israel

On the first day of the war between Palestine and Israel on October 7, 2023, the Taliban asked Iran, Jordan and Iraq to let their troops into Israel to help Hamas "conquer Jerusalem."

2022

Taliban divisions deepen over comprehensive restrictions on women

Wide-ranging Taliban orders to restrict women's rights by the end of 2022 have deepened divisions within militant ranks to the point where rival groups have begun to surround themselves with loyal soldiers, the sources said.

At the end of December 2022, the Taliban banned women from attending universities or working for non-governmental organizations, adding to this year's directives a ban on visiting gyms, amusement parks and public baths, as well as traveling more than 70 kilometers unaccompanied by men. The measures have sparked outrage among Afghans and the international community, with even some friendly Islamic countries speaking out against it.

Troops loyal to each faction are preparing for conflict, sources say. A Taliban spokesman has denied a split among senior management.

Growing number of diplomatic meetings

Taliban ambitions for Tajik Badakhshan

In July 2022, news appeared about the formation of the Tehrik-e Taliban Tajikistan organization (Taliban Movement of Tajikistan).

Tajik Mahdi Arsalan became the leader of the Taliban-controlled faction. His real name is Muhammad Sharipov, he is a native of the Rashta Valley of Tajikistan. Earlier, the militant headed the Jammaat Ansarullah group, recognized as terrorist in the Russian Federation and Tajikistan.

The organisation was set up more than a decade ago to fight the government of Emomali Rahmon with field commanders of anti-government Islamist forces from the 1992-1997 Tajikistan civil war.

With the Taliban coming to power in August 2021, members of Jammaat Ansarullah were entrusted with managing the Tajik-Afghan border in five districts: Kuf Ab, Hwahan, Maimai, Nusai and Shikai.

Why are Protalib groups escalating the situation at the border?

Among the radical members of the movement, there is the idea of ​ ​ "uniting" the Tajik peoples of Badakhshan under the banner of the "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan." There were more reasons for this due to the unwillingness of the President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon to establish relations with his neighbors and assist the leader of the resistance Ahmad Masud.

And with the beginning of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine among Taliban warlords in northeastern Afghanistan, the idea of ​ ​ invading Tajikistan was revived with renewed vigor. In their opinion, the protracted conflict will weaken Russia and will not allow it to get into another one on the southern borders of the CSTO.

The leadership of the "Emirate" constantly states that "the Taliban will never go beyond the borders of Afghanistan, and will not allow other groups to use the territory of the country as a bridgehead for external aggression." However, the Taliban speak to the public only what is convenient for them, the Rybar telegram channel noted.

The conflict in Central Asia with the tightening of the Russian Federation into it is what the collective West is striving for. This is evidenced by attempts to overthrow the authorities in Kazakhstan, conflicts in Tajik Badakhshan and Uzbek Karakalpakstan.

Taliban's New Deal: Denying Your Past

Anas Haqqani - brother of the head of the terrorist organization Haqqani Network, part-time acting Minister of the Interior of the Taliban - gave an interesting interview to the German publication Der Spiegel about the internal political situation in Afghanistan. Anas Haqqani agreed to an interview with a major news agency for a reason: this is a great opportunity to shift the blame for what happened earlier to the "radical Taliban" and the international coalition.

• He denies his father Jalaluddin Haqqani's cooperation with the founder of al-Qaeda terror organization Osama bin Laden.

• A Taliban spokesman says they are not involved in terrorist attacks inside Afghanistan, and he himself has never picked up arms.

• Anas Haqqani calls the information about the existence of the Haqqani Network false anti-Taliban propaganda of Americans and their allies.

• A member of the Taliban denies all accusations of the Taliban conducting a policy of ethnic superiority of the Pashtuns over the "non-Pushtuns."

• Haqqani called the allegations of complicity in the 2017 attack on the German embassy in Kabul "unfounded."

• The abduction of two American professors is called a forced measure and a reaction to US illegal actions

• In his opinion, it is the international community that is guilty of the current troubles of Afghanistan and the lack of support measures after many years of war launched by the West.

• He summed up Anas Haqqani by declaring the Taliban the main fighters for the democratic rights of people, saying that the accusations of oppression of women are unfounded, and they are working on it.

Since the Taliban came to power in August 2021, they have tried to achieve worldwide recognition of their legitimacy. However, their unwillingness to make concessions on inclusivity (representatives of different ethnic groups in power), as well as the extremist past, became the main reasons for the ongoing pressure from the world community.

Amid contradictions between different Taliban leaders and different views on how life should be built in the so-called "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan," Sirajuddin Haqqani decided to show himself to be the most modern politician.

"The struggle for power and the desire to receive support from the world community have caused a new policy in the international arena: now the" Hakkanists "whitewash themselves and deny absolutely everything that can badly affect their already unpleasant reputation, experts from the Rybar telegram channel noted. Everything that was said by Anas Haqqani so far does not fit at all in the head. No matter how he tried to convince himself and his family of innocence, the murder of former Afghan army personnel, the loss of women and the oppression of Hazaras throughout Afghanistan - all this has not gone anywhere. "

Mediation in Tehreek-e Taliban Pakistan talks with Pakistani government to establish its control in the north of the country

In May 2022, through the mediation of acting Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, a negotiation process began between the Pakistani government and the terrorist organization Tehreek-e Taliban Pakistan to sign a peace treaty.

One of the agreed conditions was the resettlement of Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan members in the former Federal Tribal Managed Zone (now part of Khyber Pakhtunwa province) and the Malakand region, followed by the provision of broad powers up to the establishment of Sharia norms in places of concentration of the Taliban.

In theory, when concluding an agreement, the Pakistani Taliban will govern the entrusted region, obeying the basic laws of the country. Nevertheless, many analysts express great doubts that legal status can deter them from encroaching on neighboring areas.

Fraternal relations between the Afghan and Pakistani Taliban (this has been discussed more than once by both sides) will de facto allow the Taliban to establish control over these territories. At this time, the ambitions of many Taliban members extend far beyond the Afghan borders - from the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region of Tajikistan to Attok County in Pakistan. And from Malakand to Attok, the distance is already less than 90 km. The Taliban do not intend to recognize the Durand Line. In contrast, they actually want to expand their own holdings at the expense of Pakistani lands.

The tribal zone geographically borders Afghanistan, but the Pashtuns living there actually never followed the established rules. Control both was and remains conditional with complete freedom of movement.

Negotiations between Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan and official Islamabad are a way to fulfill the long-standing dream of the Taliban, led by Sirajuddin Haqqani, to create an Islamic caliphate, noted the Rybar telegram channel. The peace treaty, through its mediation, will make it possible to invisibly occupy these lands, gradually instilling its own orders and power in the region.

2021: Taliban asserts control over entire territory of Afghanistan

On August 15, 2021, the Taliban announced the establishment of control over the entire territory of Afghanistan.

Acting Interior Minister Abdul Sattar Mirzakwal said Kabul would not be attacked and that the transition would be peaceful. He assures Kabul residents that security forces will ensure the city's security.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has resigned. The movement's delegation is holding talks with Afghan authorities at the presidential palace in Kabul.

The Taliban said that foreigners can leave Kabul, otherwise they need to register their stay with representatives of the movement.

The US will remove all staff, including the most senior, from its embassy in Kabul within 72 hours.

Taliban received abandoned American military equipment worth $85 billion