Taliban Losing Allies in Afghanistan
Every insurgency has two-ingredient for success, covert foreign support and overt local support. On the ground, the pawn [Taliban] in the game are uncomfortably losing succour; what is the reason behind? Since Joe Biden withdrew all forces from Afghanistan by 31 August 2021; As he said to Reuters in Washington, “ I do not regret my decision[1]”. Surreptitiously, the Biden regime has been striving to inflame Weapons of Mass migration [2] against bordering Pakistan and Turkey: Americans purportedly bolster migration and refugees crisis.
The hapless Afghan army has been fighting against insurgents all alone; The covert reason behind leaving Afghans all alone in the region is to herald hubris- white men hubris. Several kinds of coercers have historically pursued various goals through these means ever since World War II with mixed rates of success. The perpetual troublemaker, American, has been spurring such tactics against South Asia, so-called allies- Turkey and Pakistan.
It is unequivocal that such tactics could unleash economic and political instability in the region. The contingents have been confiscating several districts and towns in Southern and Eastern flanks of Afghanistan, a myriad of precincts have been captured without coercing but through a diplomatic approach. More importantly, the belligerent occupation of the Taliban is ushering in civil war. In addition, surprisingly, the Taliban are on the way to northern Afghanistan- home of sleazy and tyrant, General Dostum. However, If the Taliban captured Mazar-i-sharif- Northern capital city of Afghanistan, subsequently, the failure of Mazar would be a catastrophic shock to the Kabul government and represent the absolute collapse of its authority over the north.
Why Taliban are way so serious about Northern Afghanistan: The glum bloodshed of surrendered Mujahedeen force of Chechens, Pakistanis and Uzbeks (and al-Qaeda suspects) at the hand of General Dostum, at the behest of American troops, would make you sob- if you have a humble humanitarian sense.
After the invasion of American troops in Afghanistan, invading forces sieged Kunduz with the aid of the Afghan national army- under the leadership of General Dostum, a US ally. It was winter in 2001; Many prisoners were taken to Qala-i-Jangi[3], a garrison fort near Mazar-i-Sharif, where they later offended against ghastly freezing circumstances. The remaining 7,500 or so detainees were placed, with their hands and feet tied and bound, in sealed shipping containers for shifting to Sheberghan penitentiary (General Dostum slaughterhouse).
Ironically, the detainees were deceived to surrender on the understanding that they would be allowed to go home on giving up armaments or treated as per UN laws. Onlookers recounted dozens suffocated to death and, overwhelmingly, each container held 250-300 prisoners who snorted, shouted and screamed for oxygen and water. Many prisoners were died because of suffocation, and those who survived- mostly- were sent to the notorious desert Dasht-i-Leili and executed immediately under the nose of the American military, present and apparently complicit in the slaughter. US troops were reportedly actively involved in cruelty and mayhem. The Taliban would never and shall never forget the incident of Sheberghan where thousands of contingents were severed to death- brutally. Lamentable as it is, Sheberghan is etched in the Pashtun Taliban struggle account.
Turkey, the only conservative Muslim nation have been succouring General Dostum despite known that he is the Butcher of the Sheberghan. Sohail Shaheen, a spokesperson of the Taliban, reiterated that the Taliban have the aim to end the chapter of foreign occupation in the Islamic Emirates of Afghanistan, overtly which seems imminent. The Taliban urged Turkey that we are responsible and competent to protect diplomats, consulates and NGOs. Islamic Emirates of Afghanistan has asked Turkey to move alongside other NATO nations. Tayyib Erdogan is striving toRun with the hare and hunt with the hounds. Erdogan apparently pro-Dostum, the pro-Turkic manoeuvre could merely split the already broken Islamic world. Seemingly, Turkey urging for the protection of Kabul airport because she has a vested interest and such a step has been taken out to lift sanctions on her because of the acquisition of the S-400 missile system from Erstwhile US foe, Russia.
What motivates turkey to support Gen Dostum-the butcher, in Afghanistan and oppose the Taliban? It should be note morality and similar faith does not count in statecraft, whilst defending national interest would lead you against sublime morals. Supposedly, Turkey has been promoting such tactics for the sake of united Turks and her leaning ethnicities in Central Asia and the Caucasus. Turkey lent overt support to Azerbaijan against Amenia in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Erdogan has been desperately striving to gain support and likely reunite Central Asian leaning ethnicities since Erdogan has the pan-Islamic vision of the erstwhile Ottomans Empire. Central Asian ethnicities including, Turkmens, Tajiks and Uzbeks had a prowess history and had ruled the entire sub-continent and Afghanistan for a long time: “History does not repeat itself, but it seldom rhymes”
Apart from this, most Turks hate Pashtuns and deem them uneducated and uncouth, Nevertheless, Erdogan’s regime must have to find common grounds with the Taliban- After all, the future ruler of Afghanistan. On the other hand, Russia had already learnt a lot from the past, supported the Taliban and given them soft shoulders in the Peace deal are now busy doing military drills in Tajikistan. What motives behind them? Ostensibly, this step has been taken when the Taliban are gaining more territory, already captured Badakhshan- Lie next to Tajikistan. The Military drills usher a stringent message to contingents, who is a real Boss.
What could be next is anyone’s guess? If civil war broke out, which is apparently inevitable, it would have consequences far beyond the borders. The civil war affects all surrounding neighbors socially as well as politically.
Sooner or later, Afghanistan will be free from the shackles of terrorism, bloodshed and tyrant rule, South Asia and Central Asia will once again arise. Afghan National Guard has been losing ground since the withdrawal of NATO and US troops. The Taliban are way more polite and gentle than the then-Taliban tutelage (1996-2001). The insurgent group are taking cogent steps and trying to tackle the contemporary issue through dialogue and psychological warfare, fortunately, it would encourage both sides.
References:
https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/world/i-do-not-regret-my-decision-biden-on-american-forces-withdrawal-from-afghanistan-taliban-us-troops-1.5903032
About the Author:
Sayed Huzaifa Nasir, a graduate student of Bahria University Islamabad. hails from a conservative town Mardan, Khyber Pukhtun-Khwa. He has penchant for writing short blogs about the contemporary status quo and international geopolitics- political analyst. He has already published blogs in the Daily Times [Newspaper]. The author has also published many journals and articles on the international platform, medium.com.
The writer could be reached at Huzaifa Nasir – Medium.
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