Islamic Movement of Taliban

This group called Islamic Movement of Taliban, came into being and stepped into Afghanistan crisis carrying the slogan of insuring social security and execution of Islamic laws, could soon take the control of Kandahar without any fights, selecting there as their capital. On 14/6/1374 Herat, on 5/7/1375 Kabul, and in 1377 Mazar Sharif and Bamiyan cities were occupied by Taliban, who possessed nearly 80% of Afghanistan territory by 1379. Taliban set up a severely centralized rule included several institutions as follows:
1. Seat of authority, Mula Mohammad Omar Mojahed, the leader of Taliban, having received the title of Amir-Al-Momenin with the vote of almost 1500 Pashton religious leaders in Kandahar, took the position Emirate (ruling position) on 14/1/1374.
2. Central High Council, which was situated in Kandahar composed of leaders and summits of Taliban Movement, led by Mula Mohammad Omar Mojahed. This council formed the main leadership kernel of Taliban Movement.
3. Public Council of Afghanistan Islamic Emirate (Kandahar Council) which decided about country's affairs was composed of representatives from provinces under the control of Taliban.
4. Supervisor Council of Afghanistan Islamic Emirate which took the responsibility of instructing and leading Taliban cabinet in Kabul. The first chief of this council was Mula Mohammad Rabani. There were 25 ministries in Taliban cabinet in 1376.
Taliban's establishment and objectives have been described as follows by "Misagh Isar" a publication of Islamic Party of Hekmatyar:
"… This movement was born out of former ambassador of England's plan in Islam Abad and came into existence by General Baber. The English and General Baber together could persuade the United State and Saudi Arabi to accept the supervision and expenditure of this project…. General Baber admitted the responsibility, and through I.S.I and Mulavi Fazlul-Rahman, kept in touch with those commanders in Kandahar who were talented and ready to perform roles in such a project. They agreed on the following issues after several meetings in Quateh, Pishawar and Islam Abad.
1. Seizure of Kandahar as main base.
2. Clearance of the area form Jehadi groups as well as people's disarmament.
3. Opening trade path to central Asia via Kandahar-Turghondi.
4. Agreement for disposed King's return.
5. Organizing all army officers trained by I.S.I in Pakistan, providing them with war machine and using their war skills and talents hugely.
Pakistan also took some charges.
1. Training staff.
2. Financial, fuel, clothes and food assistance.
3. Hundreds of experienced Pakistani commandos and officers to break resistance and open the way during the darkness of night in case Taliban actions encounter severe problems in first line of battle.
4. Performing operational activities among the commanders for the purpose of bringing them close with Taliban as well as acceptance of whole essential expenditures in this part.(1)
Misagh Isar publication, relying on Pakistani newspapers and enumerating some documents showing the interferences of the United States and Pakistan to stimulate Taliban adds" US congress allocated $20 millions to weaken Islamic Republic of Iran, some of which was paid to objectors of Iran, the rest was allocated to support Taliban on the half of General Baber and Mulana Fazlul-Rahman. Pakistan press disclosed this matter, printing in bold letters that Mulana Fazlul-Rahman had been in America for two months to obtain this amount of money."(2)
At first, Taliban forces were consisted mainly from:
1. Afghan students in Pakistan theological schools from Pashton tribe.
2. Afghan Pashton ethnic militias.
3. Pakistani Talibans.
4. Arabs.
5. Afghan Pashton Mojahedins.
6. Afghan Pashton Communists.
7. Pakistani military supervisors and militias.(3)
Important members of Taliban Movement were introduced as follows:
Mula Mohammad Omar, leader, Mula Mohammad Rabani, the chief of Supervisor Council in Kabul, Mula Mohammad Hasan Akhond, Mula Mohammad Ghaws, Mula Abdul Razagh, Mula Sayyid Ghiyas-al-Din, Mula Kheirullah Kheirkhah, Ehsanulla Ehsan, Mulavi Abdul Sattar Sanaee, Mula Mohammad Abass, Obaidullah, Mula Dadullah, Mohammad Aser Akhond, Mula Nuroddin Torabi, Mula Hamidullah Namani, Mula Ahmad Jan, Mulavi Jalilul Din Haghani, Mula Sadegh Akhond, Ghari Din Mohammad, Mulavi Kalamu-al-Din, Mulavi JaliluDin Mulavi Zai, Mula Mohammad Hassan, Mulavi Vakil Ahmad Motavakel, Shir Mohammad Stanekzai and Aref allah Aref.
\Following the event on 11th of September, 2001 in the United States when Taliban did not accept George Bush's request to surrender Osama Ben Ladan, the United States' air and missile raids to Afghanistan began on 16/7/1380. Taliban forces had to retreat from the north of Afghanistan after five weeks non-stop bombardment, eventually; they evacuated Herat and Bamiyan on 21/8/1380, and Kabul on 23/8/1380. Kandahar was conquered after Bon conference and Hamed Karzai's nomination as Afghanistan president on 17/9/1380, and Taliban leaders went into hiding.
1- Misagh Isar Publication, Issue 33, page 7.
2- The same source, issue 34, page 5.
3- Tanvir, Dr. Mohammad Halim, Afghan journalist and historian, Jadi 1378, pages 625-626
Author: Sayed Mohammad Bagher Mesbahzade