Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri The Coordinator 2015 Part 4-1- TB-36-Mullah Omar-12

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Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri The Coordinator 2015 Part 4-1- TB-36-Mullah Omar-12

Mullah Omar: 'Jihad Strategies and a Future Vision’ a follow-up

Eid Felicitation Message of Amir-ul-Momineen, Mulla Mohammad Umar Mujahidago 3 days

In the name of Allah, the most Gracious, the most Merciful.والسالم الصلوة و العلمین رب لله وأصحابه الحمد آله وعلی محمد والمرسلین سیداألنبیاء علی

وبعد أجمعین: تعالی الله قال[ : الحج ] ' *َق*د(ير ل *ص,ر(ِه(ْم, ع*ل*ىن الله* (َّن0 (م3واو*ِإ ُظ3ل 0ُه3ْم, ن

* (َأ *ل3وَّن*ب 3َق*ات 0ِذ(ين*ي (ل 3ِذ(َّن*ل 39أ ﴿Translation: (Permission to take up arms is given to those against whom war is made, because they have been wronged and Allah, indeed, has power to help them.) (Al-Hajj – 39)To the whole Muslim Umma, particularly to the Muslim and Mujahid Masses of Afghanistan!

وبرکاته الله ورحمة علیکْم السالم(May peace and blessings of Allah be upon you!)I would like to felicitate you on this auspicious occasions of both Eid-ul-Fitr and the significant conquests in the field of Jihad along with my sincere best wishes. May Allah, the Almighty, accept all your worships, donations and virtuous deeds related with the holy month of Ramadan! Amin.All of these conquests are the result of perpetual support of Allah Almighty followed by the untold sacrifices, endeavors and backing of the Afghan Mujahid people. I pray to Allah, the Almighty, to remunerate all of them for their services and sacrifices.It is a moment of deep gratitude and great honor for me to share my feelings with you concerning the sanctified and blessed days of the Holy Religion of Islam. The Muslims congratulate one another in these days, pray for their well-being and express their sincerity, brotherhood and sympathy in an atmosphere fraught with religious fraternity.I would like, by seizing this occasion, to elucidate some issues about the previous and present on-going Jihadi struggle of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. 1. The invasion of Afghanistan by the occupying alliance headed by America was in reality an explicit brutal aggression, contradicting all humane principles, on an integral part of the Muslim Umma and subsequently, the initiation of Holy Jihad against this aggression became a binding individual obligation upon us. As Allah Almighty says:[ : [ … البَقرة , 3ْم *ُك 3ون (ل 3َق*ات ي 0ِذ(ين* ال <ه( الل (يِل( ب س* ِف(ي , 3وا (ل 190و*ق*ات ﴿Translation: (And fight in the way of Allah against those who fight against you, but do not transgress. Surely, Allah loves not the transgressors.) (Al-Baqarah – 190)It was according to this religious obligation that more than fifteen hundred religious scholars of our country issued the decree of Holy Jihad to the Islamic Emirate which was subsequently approved by the righteous scholars around the world. In the light of this genuine religious decree, Jihad is as obligatory today as it was in the beginning of foreign occupation because our Muslim homeland Afghanistan is still under occupation and both its land and air space are controlled by the invaders. The only minor difference is that after suffering heavy casualties and financial losses, the foreign occupying forces have reduced their numbers and have confined themselves to heavily fortified bases, filling this void with some notorious figures of our society, mercenary forces trained by foreign intelligence agencies and some naive youngsters in the disguise of Afghan security forces who are financially, logistically and even directly supported by the very occupying forces when pressured by Mujahidin. It is therefore

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still obligatory upon us to continue our sacred Jihad to liberate our beloved homeland and restore an Islamic system.It is true that large areas of the country are liberated by the Mujahidin but our Jihadi struggle will continue until the infidel occupation of our country has ended and a pure Islamic system is implemented. 2. Concurrently with armed Jihad, political endeavors and peaceful pathways for achieving these sacred goals is a legitimate Islamic principle and an integral part of Prophetic politics. As our holy leader, the beloved Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), was actively engaged in fighting the infidels in the fields of ‘Badr’ and ‘Khyber’, he simultaneously participated in agreements beneficial for Muslims, held meetings with envoys of infidels, sent messages and delegations to them and on various occasions even undertook the policy of face to face talks with warring infidel parties. If we look into our religious regulations, we can find that meetings and even peaceful interactions with the enemies is not prohibited but what is unlawful is to deviate from the lofty ideals of Islam and to violate religious decrees. Therefore the objective behind our political endeavors as well as contacts and interactions with countries of the world and our own Afghans is to bring an end to the occupation and to establish an independent Islamic system in our country. It is our legitimate right to utilize all legal pathways because being an organized and liable setup, we are responsible to our masses, we are an integral part of human society and rely upon one another. All Mujahidin and countrymen should be confident that in this process, I will unwaveringly defend our legal rights and viewpoint everywhere. We have established a ‘Political Office’ for political affairs, entrusted with the responsibility of monitoring and conducting all political activities. 3. We insist upon the unity of Jihadi front in Afghanistan because firstly, it is the command of Allah Almighty and secondly, the fruits of successful Jihad against the former Soviet Union were lost as an inevitable consequence of the multiplicity of factions.Allah Almighty has said about the unity of Jihadi front:ص3وٌص' ) م0ر, *اَّن' 3ني ب 0ُه3ْم ن

* *َأ َك F ص*ّف<ا (ه( (يل ب س* ِف(ي (ل3وَّن* 3َق*ات ي 0ِذ(ين* ال H3ح(ُّب ي 0ه* الل (َّن0 ) (ِإ الصف 4 )Translation: (Verily, Allah loves those who fight in His cause arrayed in solid ranks, as though they were a strong structure cemented with molten lead.) (As-Saff – 4) On another occasion, the Holy Quran unequivocally inhibits from all contentions, differences and mutual disputes in the following explicit words: (ر(ين* ) الص0اب م*َع* 0ه* الل (َّن0 ِإ واۚ (ر3 و*اص,ب ۚ 3ْم, ر(يح3ُك *ِذ,ِه*ُّب* و*ت 3وا ل *ّف,َش* ِف*َت ع3وا *اَز* *ن ت و*اَل* *ه3 ول س3 و*ر* 0ه* الل *ِط(يع3وا ۚ �و*أ � ۖ ) (46 (ااَلنّفالTranslation: (And obey Allah and His Messenger and dispute not with one another, lest you falter and your strength depart from you. And be steadfast; surely, Allah is with the steadfast.) (Al-Anfal – 46) And our Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) says:{ ,ن( *ي ت م*ر0 Rو*اح(د Rج3ح,ر م(ن, ,م3ْؤ,م(ن3 ال ,د*ُغ3 3ل ي * } {اَل البخاري {رواهTranslation: (A believer is not stung twice from the same hole.) Narrated by Bukhari.Since maintaining the unity of Jihadi front in our country is a religious obligation, we have therefore directed all our Mujahidin to preserve their unity and forcefully prevent all those elements who attempt to create differences, damage this Jihadi front or try to disperse the Mujahidin. 4. Our Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) has said:



” (ل*ى ِإ ير3 3َش( و*ي *ا ِه*اِه3ن 0َق,و*ى الَت ه3 *ح,َق(ر3 ي و*اَل* 3ه3 *خ,ِذ3ل ي و*اَل* (م3ه3 *ْظ,ل ي اَل* ) (ْم ل ,م3س, ال *ُخ3و أ (ْم3 ل ,م3س, ال “ ) (ْم ل ,م3س, ال H3ِل َك (ْم* ل ,م3س, ال اه3 *ُخ* أ *ح,َق(ر* ي *َّن, أ ر] الَش0 م(ن Rام,ر(ٍئ (ح*س,ُّب( ب ، Rاٍت م*ر0 َث* *ال* َث ص*د,ر(ه(

احمد ) و مسلْم رواه ُض3ه3 و*ع(ر, 3ه3 و*م*ال َد*م3ه3 ام' ح*ر* ) (ْم ل ,م3س, ال ع*ل*ىTranslation: (Every Muslim is the brother of another Muslim. He should neither oppress him, nor let him down, nor insult him. Piety is here, while pointing to his chest thrice. It is enough for a man’s mischief to look down upon his Muslim brother. The blood, property and honor of every Muslim is forbidden for another Muslim.) Narrated by Muslim and Ahmad.In view of the above saying of our Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and being a member of the Muslim society, we look upon every Muslim as our brother and we formally recognize the legitimate rights of all Afghans including minorities as our religious duty. The formation of Islamic Emirate comprises of virtuous and erudite people from all areas and nations of our country, learning a lot from the experiences of previous 36 years especially from the responsibilities borne over the past twenty years hence no one should fear about what will happen if the Islamic Emirate comes to power. I assure you that the upcoming changes will in no way resemble the situation following the collapse of the communist regime when everything turned upside down. There are no such disagreements inside the Jihadi ranks as were in the past. This time every legal development around the country will be preserved, national assets and the achievements of private sector will be maintained, the dignity of all individuals and communities of the country will be honored, an accountable, transparent, professional and inclusive Afghan administration will be setup to meet both the worldly and religious needs of the Afghan masses. We have always tried, in light of Islamic principles and national interests, to maintain cordial and reciprocal relations with all neighboring, regional and world countries so that Afghanistan is secured both from external malice as well as internal differences. 5. Some circles accuse Mujahidin of being agents of Pakistan and Iran. This is an utterly unjust verdict because neither our past history nor the present prevailing circumstances attest to this statement and the forthcoming history will also be a witness against these false accusations, Insha-Allah (God-willing).Nevertheless, it is a fact that we have sought cordial relations not only with Pakistan and Iran but also all other neighboring countries. Just like towards the people of Pakistan and Iran, we have been the well-wishers of all masses of all neighboring, regional and world countries and we are determined to pursue this wise policy.We call upon all people with intellect not to be deceived by the baseless propaganda of the enemy intelligence. Do not attribute you’re extraordinary achievements to others. The vast areas spreading from Badakhshan to Kandahar, from Faryab to Paktia and from Herat to Nangarhar, which almost covers the entire country cannot be liberated with foreign support. If foreign aid were so effective then it would have treated the wounds of the Kabul administration which enjoys the unconstrained support of fifty countries. They freely get weapons and manpower from abroad, even their leaders are brought up and trained by the foreigners. But none of these provisions stabilized them rather they are losing ground on a daily basis. Therefore if we were not supported by Allah Almighty as well as our pious masses and Jihadi spirit, how could it be possible for us to have sustained this lopsided war for fourteen years against major world military powers with the insignificant and secret support of either one or two neighboring countries? Without a doubt, no sane mind would ever accept this nonsense.Therefore our Muslim brothers, near and far, should not be victimized by the enemy propaganda because the enemy is not only devious but also shrewd and well-equipped, able to convey and spread rumors and propaganda against Muslims and Islamic movements to the



world masses. Hence all Muslims should remain vigilant and discerning equipped with faith and spiritual perspicacity. 6. Some people, without having any sound proof, think that the Islamic Emirate is against all new developments, modern sciences and resources. This despite the overall expenditure on schools and higher educational institutions being higher than the traditional religious madrassas during the reign of the Islamic Emirate. Twenty percent of the budget was allocated for education and training. Contemporary studies are recommended by our religious scholars as they are obligatory according to Islamic teachings. Allah Almighty says in His Holy Book:( 3ْم, و*ع*د3و0َك 0ه( الل ع*د3و0 (ه( ب 3وَّن* ِه(ب 3ر, ت ,ِل( ي ,خ* ال *اِط( ر(ب و*م(ن, Rق3و0ة م(ن, 3ْم, *َط*ع,َت َت اس, م*ا *ُه3ْم, ل *ع(دHوا )( …و*أ 60ااَلنّفال )Translation: (And make ready against them all you can of power, including steeds of war, whereby you may frighten the enemy of Allah and your enemy…) (Al-Anfal – 60)According to the above blessed verse which stresses upon every possible preparation against the enemy and since Jihad is an indispensable obligation for the Muslims today thus modern resources to combat the enemy can neither be had nor utilized without the prior knowledge of modern sciences and new experiences. Similarly treatment of injured Mujahidin and health-care of Muslim masses, freeing ourselves from enemy dependence in technical, industrial, agricultural and various other walks of life as well as properly serving the Muslims and self-sufficiency of Islamic society needs our excellence in modern knowledge. It is a well-established rule of Islamic jurisprudence that the requisite of an obligation is obligatory.Therefore the Islamic Emirate realizes the value and importance of modern sciences and sources in the light of our Holy Sharia law. The proof is that Mujahidin are facilitating both religious and modern studies for the young generation of our beloved homeland in all the areas under their control. 7. I would like to remind all the Mujahidin that if they abide by two things then eventual victory will be theirs. First, they should aim for Allah’s pleasure in all their deeds. They should endure their allegiance with their creed, country, the Islamic Emirate and their leaders as guided by our Holy Book:( *ق,د*ام*کْم, أ ]ْت, *ب 3َث ُی و* کْم, *نص3ر, ُی 0ه* الل , وا *نص3ر3 ت (َّن ِإ 3وا آم*ن 0ِذ(ين* ال Hُه*ا ي

* *اأ ) (.ي 7محمد )Translation: (O ye who believe! if you help the cause of Allah, He will help you and will make your foothold firm.) (Muhammad – 7)Secondly, our Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) says:*ا ) ن (ير* *ب َك 3و*ق]ر, ي و*لْم *ا ن ص*ِغ(ير* ح*ْم, *ر, ي *ْم, ل م*ن, 0ا م(ن ,َس* *ي (ترمِذي) (لTranslation: (Those who do not have mercy on youngsters and not respectful to elders are not from us.) Narrated by TirmidhiSo deal with your people gently, with love and good manners. Treat their elders as your own parents and their youngsters as your own brothers and children. The protection of lives and properties of ordinary people is your Islamic and human responsibility. Particularly in your military planning, take all possible measures to avoid civilian losses and casualties. If you glance over history, you will vividly see that the one who has betrayed the sacred religion of Allah or has looked down upon this pious Mujahid nation or ignored good ethics has failed at succeeding here. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) says:( F ُخلَقا أحسنُهْم F ِإيمانا المْؤمنين ) ( أکمِل ابوَداوَد (رواهTranslation: (The most perfect amongst the pious people is the one whose behavior is sublime.) Narrated by Abu DaudSo win over your nation with good behavior. 8. O Mujahidin! As Allah Almighty has flung open the doors of victories to you, try your best



to invite and guide the opponents to the right path and provide them with secured and honorable living conditions. Instead of killing them, it is better to reform (guide) them as our community will inevitably suffer due to their widows and orphans. The people who control their anger and pardon are held in high esteem by Allah Almighty as He says:( (ين* ن ,م3ح,س( ال H3ح(ُّب ي 0ه3 و*الل 0اِس(ۚ الن ع*ن( ,ع*اِف(ين* و*ال ,َظ* ,ِغ*ي ال *اُظ(م(ين* ,ُك ۗ �و*ال ) ( عمراَّن ( )134آلTranslation: (And those who suppress anger, and pardon men; and Allah loves those who do good.) (Al-Imran – 134) 9. Muslims of the whole world and specially the pious masses of Afghanistan are requested to increase their physical and financial support to the Mujahidin amidst the current triumphant process as you constantly extended it over the past fourteen years. You should remember that Jihad is an individual obligation upon every single Muslim. If one cannot participate in the Jihadi fronts physically, he can discharge his duty by extending financial or political or cultural support to the Mujahidin. Our Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) says:( ا َغ*َز* ِف*َق*د, Rر, ي (خ* ب الله (يِل( ب س* ِف(ي F َغ*اَز(يا ُخ*ل*ف* و*م*ن, ا، َغ*َز* ِف*َق*د, الله (يِل( ب س* ِف(ي F َغ*اَز(يا ج*ُه0َز* مَتّفق) (م*ن, (علیهTranslation: (Whosoever equipped a fighter in the path of Allah, and the one who looked after a fighter’s family behind, verily he participated in Jihad.) Agreed Upon

10. To end, I request all the leaders and masses of the Muslim world to maintain unity and fraternity among themselves and not allow internal differences to weaken their ranks. The policy of tolerance, patience, acumen and strict abidance by Islamic Sharia should be adopted. I would like to remind all the well-off sympathizing brothers to extend their complete support to the bereaved families of the martyrs, prisoners, disabled, poor and orphans of frontline Mujahidin during these happy days of Eid-ul-Fitr. They should not be left alone and must be encouraged because it is the source of success and prosperity in this world as well the world hereafter. Wish good for others as you seek it for yourselves as the Holy Quran says:( (ح3وَّن* 3ّف,ل ت 3ْم, 0ُك *ع*ل ل ,ر* ي ,خ* ال 3وا ) (و*اِف,ع*ل 77الحج – )Translation: (And do good deeds that you may prosper.) (Al-Hajj – 77) I once again congratulate all of you on this happy occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr and pray to Allah Almighty that all your worship and services are rewarded. Wassalam. Servant of IslamAmir-ul-MomineenMulla Mohammad Umar Mujahid

Mullah Omar takes aim at the Islamic State in thinly-veiled messageBY THOMAS JOSCELYN | July 15, 2015 | [email protected] | @thomasjoscelynIn a newly-released statement, Taliban emir Mullah Omar argues that the jihadists’ gains in Afghanistan won’t be squandered due to infighting as they were in the past. Although Omar doesn’t address the Islamic State directly, Abu Bakr al Baghdadi’s “caliphate” is clearly on the Taliban leader’s mind. The message is peppered with thinly-veiled references to the Islamic State and the Taliban dissenters who have joined its ranks. The Islamic State’s so-called “Khorasan province” and the Taliban have been at odds in multiple Afghan provinces.Omar’s statement opens with a brief account, from the Taliban’s perspective, of Afghanistan’s history since 9/11. He portrays the American-led invasion not as a response to


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the devastating terror attacks planned by al Qaeda on Afghan soil, but instead as a “brutal aggression.”Omar claims that the Taliban is obligated to fight because “more than fifteen hundred religious scholars of our country issued the decree of Holy Jihad to the Islamic Emirate” and this fatwa “was subsequently approved by the righteous scholars around the world.” According to Omar, this religious justification is still valid even though “the foreign occupying forces have reduced their numbers and have confined themselves to heavily fortified bases.” This “void” has been supposedly filled by “mercenary forces trained by foreign intelligence agencies” and others. “It is true that large areas of the country are liberated by the Mujahidin,” Omar argues, “but our Jihadi struggle will continue until the infidel occupation of our country has ended and a pure Islamic system is implemented.” This argument is hardly new. But it does serve an added purpose in this instance, as jihadists are left to wonder why the Islamic State’s presence in the “Khorasan” (a region encompassing Afghanistan, Pakistan, and parts of the other surrounding countries) is necessary if the Taliban is already leading a divinely-sanctioned jihad.Indeed, Omar criticizes the Islamic State (again, without naming it) for jeopardizing the jihadists’ efforts. “We insist upon the unity of Jihadi front in Afghanistan because firstly, it is the command of Allah Almighty and secondly, the fruits of successful Jihad against the former Soviet Union were lost as an inevitable consequence of the multiplicity of factions,” Omar writes. If they have the power to stop it, the Taliban’s men won’t let the Islamic State do the same thing this time. The Taliban’s leadership has “directed all our Mujahidin to preserve their unity and forcefully prevent all those elements who attempt to create differences, damage this Jihadi front or try to disperse the Mujahidin.”The Taliban is clearly sensitive to the Islamic State’s charge that it serves Pakistani intelligence. “Some circles accuse Mujahidin of being agents of Pakistan and Iran,” Omar’s statement reads. “This is an utterly unjust verdict because neither our past history nor the present prevailing circumstances attest to this statement and the forthcoming history will also be a witness against these false accusations.”Omar concedes that the Taliban has “sought cordial relations not only with Pakistan and Iran but also all other neighboring countries.” However, he says this is a “wise policy” and no one should be “deceived” into thinking that the jihadists’ successes are due to the support of any other country. (In reality, Pakistan’s open door policy for the Taliban and sheltering of senior Taliban leadership have undoubtedly played a significant role in America’s longest war.)Omar also defends the Taliban’s “political endeavors and peaceful pathways” for achieving its “sacred goals,” saying that “armed Jihad” is not the only way the jihadists can advance their interests. He points to the Prophet Mohammed’s dealings with “infidels” as evidence to support his argument.The Islamic State has repeatedly criticized the Taliban’s negotiations with other nations, including Western countries. The latest edition of the Islamic State’s English-language magazine, Dabiq 10, contains an article comparing Mullar Omar to Baghdadi, arguing that the latter is the righteous “caliph.” The magazine’s authors point to Omar’s previous justifications for dealing with Afghanistan’s neighbors and argue this “confirms that this state [the Taliban’s ’emirate’[ was created to govern Afghanistan only and that it takes into consideration the international standards by not getting involved in any disputes with neighboring countries.” Baghdadi’s propagandists say this is not the proper role of a caliphate, which should have worldwide aspirations with respect to power and governance.“It is…obligatory upon everyone who gave bay’ah [oath of allegiance] to Mullā Omar and his emirate to know that this pledge has been overtaken by a more authorized and obligatory pledge, and that is the bay’ah to the [Caliphate] of today,” the Islamic State argues in Dabiq 10.



Therefore, the Taliban and the Islamic State are taking very different approaches to waging jihad. While Omar desires unity in the fight against the West and its allies, Baghdadi seeks to undermine Omar’s credentials and demands allegiance from all other jihadists.

The Taliban have kept unusually quiet. An article published on July 9 on the Taliban’s official website—and later removed from it—argued that Islamabad has limited influence over the Taliban leadership, and dismissed its attempts to kick-start peace talks as futile. It described those who attended the meeting in Pakistan as “midlevel Taliban” and said they may have been “compelled” to attend the meeting. “When the dust settles, the much hailed talks between Taliban officials and Ghani-administration officials in Islamabad will be revealed as nothing more than Pakistan delivering a few individuals from the Islamic Emirate to speak in their personal capacity,” it said. It added that for a serious peace process to start, the Qatar office would have to be involved.

KABUL—A meeting earlier this week between Afghan government officials and a Taliban delegation, hailed as a breakthrough at the time, now appears to have deepened divisions within the insurgency and dimmed hopes of an imminent peace. “These kinds of meetings aren't going in the right direction,” said a person briefed by members of the Taliban’s leadership council, also known as the Quetta Shura. “They cannot bring peace.” The meeting, took place on July 7. Yet the meeting unfolded without the Taliban’s top figures. Afghan and Pakistani officials “were hoping that there would be a big delegation, but no one from the leadership participated,”

The meeting between the Afghan government delegation and the Taliban was a class apart from earlier meetings of the sort. The Afghan delegation was led by Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Khalil Karzai. It was for the first time that a senior government figure was involved in direct talks with the Taliban.

IEA: Islamic politics, an integral part of the sacred Jihad

Political stances and successes of Muslim leaders hold significant place in the Islamic history. Political decisions have played important role in the obtainment of Jihadic objectives and helped Mujahideen reach their destinations. Thus, they were able to obtain trust of the masses, save them from division, created a peaceful and prosperous atmosphere of life and have put an end to fighting and disputes.The ultimate military victory of Mujahideen in the Battle of Badr was a great success for Muslims. Therefore, the battle of Badr is cited in the Holy Quran as Yamo ul Forqan (the day of separating the truth and falsehood). But Allah the Almighty has called the treaty of Hudaibia as a day of Fathe Mobeen (clear victory) and Fathe Qareeb due to the ingenious and deep political understandings of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him), even though a battle did not take place between the two sides in Hudaibia. Similarly, as some of the terms and conditions of the peace treaty were inappropriate in view of Mujahideen because of their military might and valor at that time.On the day of the conquest of Makkah, the courageous political decisions of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him), i.e. general amnesty, forgiveness, respect of the leaders of Makkah and so on, led to the realization of the following words of Allah, the Almighty.

,ْت* 0اِس* و*ر*أ*ي *د,ُخ3ل3وَّن* الن أ*ِف,و*اجاF الل0ه( َد(ين( ِف(ي يThe companions of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him), who were the pioneer students of the Prophet (peace be upon him) in the first days of Prophet-hood were able to conquer vast



areas of the world because of their effective and cogent politics. Furthermore, thanks to their deep political understanding, they not only controlled millions of people in the conquered areas, whose numbers were several fold greater than Mujahideen but also had created an atmosphere of justice, good ethics and freedom. These characteristics led most of the people to accept Islam and to become an integral part of the Islamic society.Islamic Emirate is also taking inspirations from the basic sources of the holy religion of Islam, i.e. Quran and Sunnah, regarding political strategies and activities. Central political headquarter of the Islamic Emirate is based in the country, functioning for the good of Jihad under the direct instructions of the esteem leader Mullah Muhammad Omar Mujahid (may Allah protect him). On the directions of the leadership, it has offices in different countries including the political office in Qatar. We have good relations with different countries for the obtainment of the objectives of current struggles paying fruitful visits to concerned countries frequently. This still continues.The political stance of the Islamic Emirate is based on Islamic values, national interests, mutual respect and equality and non-alignment, so it requires to have good relations with Muslim and neighboring countries as well as with other countries. It is important to visit these countries for the promotion and extension of mutual relations. There is a dire need to promote relations with neighboring countries to insure security and prosperous life for the Afghan nation. It is also necessary because we have shared border and mutual interest and values. For example, the recent visit of a high level delegation of Islamic Emirate to the Islamic Republic of Iran is important because more than two million Afghans are living there as refugees. We have more than 900 kilometers shared border and they also want the end of foreign occupation.Islamic Emirate follows a balanced policy based on harmony and non-interference. Our relation with one country does not mean to harm others nor does it affect our relations with other countries because our relations are framed in the light of the high motives and national interests of Afghanistan. Balanced relations are in the interests of a country. Our country has been destroyed because of foreign occupation and interventions and for this reason, we do not support policies of conflicts, disputes and interferences in others affairs. But, we want that tyranny in the region and world should come to an end, so that all nations may live a peaceful and prosperous life without interventions of others.

Statement of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan concerning its Political Affairs

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan regularly undertakes reforms in its organizational structure and officials’ capacities to further its political objectives. Such organizational reforms have been the norm in Islamic Emirate’s policies since the Islamic Movement’s inception. On this basis, from now onwards all of Islamic Emirate’s foreign and internal political affairs are entrusted to the Islamic Emirate’s Political Office as their sole responsibility. The Political Office has full capacity and agency powers to conduct or postpone, in light of Islamic principles and national interests, negotiations with internal and foreign parties wherever and whenever it deems suitable.

Where will all the weary Taliban fighters go? The meeting between the Afghan government delegation and the Taliban was a class apart from earlier meetings of the sort. The Afghan delegation was led by Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Khalil Karzai. It was for the first time that a senior government figure was involved in direct talks with the Taliban. The other delegation was led by Mullah Abbas Akhund, the Taliban’s health minister from 1996 to 2001, and a spokesperson for the group’s supreme leader Mullah Omar. The



Taliban’s negotiators included its interior affairs committee chief Mullah Abdul Jalil and Mullah Abdul Razzaq who was the leader of the forces which stormed Kabul. It was significant on Hekmat Karzai’s part to concede that the people they met had the support and permission of the Taliban leadership. The presence of the US and Chinese observers in the meeting added further importance to it as it showed that the two major powers considered it a much more important meeting than those held earlier. Their presence also indicated to all stakeholders that the US and China supported the talks.

A day after the parleys White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told a briefing in Washington: “This is an important step in advancing prospects for a credible peace.” He further said, “We both (the United States and Afghanistan) acknowledge and appreciate Pakistan’s important efforts to host these conversations.” China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said Beijing had a positive appraisal of the rendezvous and believed it would help promote the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan.

The presence of the US and Chinese observers in the meeting added further importance to it as it showed that the two major powers considered it a much more important meeting than those held earlier

The talks went off well and it was agreed to hold the next meeting after Ramzan. Preconditions, which had in the past hampered attempts by the US to engage Taliban in talks, were avoided this time. There was no demand from the Afghan side to end the attacks and no offer to stop large-scale military operations against the Taliban. Both sides agreed on the need to devise confidence building measures. The meeting was a good start. There are however pitfalls and dangers in the way capable of derailing the talks in days to come. To start with there are divisions within the Taliban as well as within the Afghan establishment which can foil the attempts at reconciliation. The house of the Taliban is divided. So is that of the Afghan establishment.

A section of the Taliban comprising some of the moderate members of Quetta Shura was supportive of talks with the Afghan government in the past also. They were willing to enter into talks with Hamid Karzai’s government. In 2008 Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Mullah Omar’s deputy, allowed members of the moderate group to talk to the Afghan government officials. The move ended two years later when Baradar was detained by Pakistan. It was widely understood that Pakistan’s establishment did not like the group to talk to the Afghan government, bypassing Islamabad. The moderates among the Taliban are challenged by hardliners who include Mullah Omar’s current deputy, Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour. Mansour thinks that the Taliban can again be in possession of Kabul by continuing the jihad. The group is convinced of its victory in the battlefield and is opposed to peace talk. It would agree to nothing less than the overthrow of the pro West Afghan administration through armed struggle. The extremists would then promulgate the Taliban era constitution in the country. Any important Taliban victories in the battlefield would make those wavering join the extremists. Conversely, if the hardliners fail to control any major towns, particularly provincial capitals, the position of the moderates would be strengthened. The question is whether the Afghan security forces will be able to withstand the successive waves of Taliban offensive?

The Afghan establishment is also divided. This is reflected in President Ghani’s failure to form a cabinet for months after being sworn in. While the cabinet is finally in place, there is



still no agreement between Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah over the appointment of a defence minister who is to play a key role in the fight against Taliban. Former President Hamid Karzai is deadly against any deal with the Taliban that involves Pakistan. He still has pockets of support in the Afghan bureaucracy, parliament and media that he built during twelve years of rule and which he can use to derail the talks.

The fault-line between the Pashtuns and the former Northern Alliance still exists and can become active if the non-Pashtun politicians are not taken on board. Also if Iran thinks that the deal with the Taliban does not suit it. It remains to be seen if President Ghani is able to take Abdullah Abdullah along. Is Pakistan establishment fully supportive of the ongoing dialogue?

The Pakistan army would prefer a strong US presence in Afghanistan as long as the terrorist threat persists. But the idea of the US keeping a watch on Pakistan’s nuclear weapons from bass in Afghanistan is disconcerting for it

The Taliban were recruited, trained and helped to capture Kabul by Pakistan’s establishment. The idea was to have a pliable government in Afghanistan willing to provide the army strategic depth whenever needed. Successive governments in Pakistan were pressurised to seek international recognition for Mullah Omar’s government. As Musharraf bluntly put it, ISI cultivated the Taliban to counter Indian action against Pakistan.

Of late there has been some change in the army’s thinking. This is the result of a debate over what suits Pakistan best, a victory by Taliban or a neutral government in Kabul? Despite the change in thinking the establishment has for quite some time remained double-minded over how much pressure was to be exerted on the Taliban for talks. The present effort to bring Taliban leaders to the negotiating table indicates the victory of those supporting increased pressure on Taliban. How deep is the new realisation remains to be seen.

How strong is the American commitment to a peaceful settlement in Afghanistan? The US wants a government in Kabul which can ensure that it will not allow al Qaeda or any other extremist outfit with an international reach to operate from its territory. On this point there is a commonality of interest between the US, Pakistan, Iran and China. But Americans have other ambitions also that arouse suspicions. Afghanistan is considered an ideal place by American strategists from where the US can watch what it considers its interests in Central Asia. When President Obama announced that all US troops would be withdrawn after 2015, many in the US strongly opposed it. The US can keep a large presence of troops in Afghanistan only if the country faces a permanent threat of terrorism. In case of peace returning to Afghanistan, it will not be possible for any government in Kabul to justify the presence of US troops or military bases.

The Pakistan army would prefer a strong US presence in Afghanistan as long as the terrorist threat persists. But the idea of the US keeping a watch on Pakistan’s nuclear weapons from bass in Afghanistan is disconcerting for it. Once peace returns to Afghanistan, all the countries in the region and beyond including China, Russia, Iran, Pakistan, Iran and India would like to see the American troops leaving Afghanistan. Will the US leave or support some sort of turmoil through militant groups to justify its presence in Afghanistan? BY Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad



Where will all the weary Taliban fighters go? THE ISLAMIC STATE isn’t just sending out feelers into Afghanistan anymore. It appears to have crossed a threshold and become a new threat to the country’s stability. President Ashraf Ghani said as much during his address to Congress in March. And while the ISIS’s footprint remains small, it has carried out major suicide bombings and clashed with the Taliban in several provinces. As violence between supporters of the two groups intensified recently, the Taliban posted an open letter on its website to Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al Baghdadi, warning him and his supporters to stay away.

The conventional wisdom is that the Taliban is on the ascent: As the US continues to withdraw, the Afghan government remains weak and ineffectual. We should question that assessment. If anything, the Taliban’s clash with ISIS may be evidence of serious internal strife, signalling an existential crisis within a complex group we have often misunderstood.

Westerners have been quick to declare a nascent turf war between ISIS and the Taliban: a sort of battle royale between the brash, young Islamic State, infamous for its barbarity and social media savvy, and the veteran Taliban, grizzled survivors of their existential fight with the US military. Yet the grandiose aims of the Islamic State have little in common with the tangible, battle-tested ambitions of the Taliban. Moreover, the rapid rise and expansion of ISIS has rendered its ideology as imprecise as it is fanatical. What does the Islamic State really even want in Syria and Iraq, never mind in the “Graveyard of Empires”? ISIS propaganda has denounced Pashtunwali, the tribal code at the core of the Taliban’s ethos, but there is scant evidence to suggest that Pashtun warlords newly allied to the Islamic State would enforce an anti-Pashtun agenda.

The differences between these two groups are even more critical than what they have in common. Afghanistan has been home to various armed groups since resistance against the Soviets began in 1980. Indeed, the Afghan Taliban comprises many factions, all of them familiar with foreign Islamic fundamentalists. Taliban leader Mullah Omar, onetime host to Osama bin Laden, has had 13 hard years in hiding to ponder the consequences of such international jihadist relations. Unlike the rapidly evolving Islamic State, the Taliban’s objectives have remained clear: The recovery of territory and sovereignty over the whole of Afghanistan. Therefore, it should properly be categorized as an insurgency. It also means that the Taliban’s ideology, religious orientation, and rhetoric are only a few of many factors contributing to its identity.

A 2010 Rand report, “How Insurgencies End,” examined the rise and fall of 89 insurgencies since 1945. The results were illuminating. Weak democracies, it found, do not succeed in putting down insurgencies as often as strong democracies or authoritarian regimes. Terrorist insurgent groups often fail to achieve their goals, even if they avoid outright defeat. While governments, for their part, fare better without external support, insurgencies rarely succeed without it.

One of the most critical findings was this: The average age of the modern insurgency is roughly 10 years. Given that assessment, the Taliban is approaching the end of its life cycle. The idea of an aging insurgency makes sense, but we rarely dwell on it. Some insurgencies are destroyed outright. But for those that keep up the fight, generation gaps grow between senior leadership and newer recruits. Battle fatigue sets in. The pressure to disband or to join a power-sharing arrangement becomes too great to resist. All warriors grow weary.



So, rather than drawing from counterinsurgency tactics and lessons from Iraq, strategic policy makers should ask about precedent. It turns out that one of the closest parallels we have is the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC. The similarities are striking. Both FARC and the Taliban had a strong political position early in the conflict — based on concentrated support in rural areas — which are now dependent on the group’s conduct and on the history of local events. Both were formerly motivated by radical ideology, ideals largely set aside due to reliance on coercion and criminal funding sources like drugs and kidnapping. Both thrive in mountainous regions of sanctuary, secure from the reach of ineffectual central governments.

FARC originated during an era when the identity jargon of revolutions was steeped in Maoist and Marxist thought, and it capitalized on deep disaffection among Colombia’s rural poor. As in Afghanistan — just along a different timeline — an infusion of American dollars, armament, and anticommunist zeal resulted in wave after wave of unintended consequences. Over decades of guerrilla war, Colombia’s armed bands of all allegiances were slowly drained of their ideological commitments, eventually leaving only large-scale criminal enterprise and corruption to fight over.

La Violencia, as the conflict came to be known, has taken so many bleak, brutal turns that even if a full-scale political reconciliation came to pass, it couldn’t repair 50 years of societal damage, or make up for its human costs. The parallels between these two conflicts isn’t lost on the participants. Just this month, members of the Taliban gathered for informal talks with the Afghan government in Norway. The conference began with an address by Colombia’s president, Juan Manuel Santos. Now, Colombia doesn’t provide an exact blueprint for action or offer us a new counterinsurgency playbook. On the contrary, when US policy makers point to prior success in Latin America, they almost always overlook the long duration, massive cost, and ambiguous results of our assistance to Colombia.

But as our Afghanistan policy enters a new phase, our aims and methods are sorely in need of clarity. Our traditional way of thinking about political and radical Islam has cluttered things up for far too long. As extremist rhetoric from ISIS lures former Taliban fighters down the path of forever war, we must avoid conflating the ideology these fighters may espouse and the flags they choose to fly with the more tangible goals they are striving for. Andrew Watkins served several years with the US Department of State in Afghanistan as a security officer and liaison to Afghan military and police, and has also served in special operations forces in the US Army.

**Regards Cees; The Islamic State has grown out of the ashes of failed states stretching from South Asia to the Middle East, melding medieval-style brutality with modern technology and organisation. And though the international community has mounted a response, its effectiveness has been stymied by shortcomings in cooperation. Has the ecology of terror become the new norm? And can increased cooperation in the Asian region help meet the challenge of spreading terrorism?

IS versus Taliban Sunday, 12 July 2015 Naimat Khan. Although it is far from becoming a significant force in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region, the Islamic State (IS) has started to worry the Afghan Taliban, Al Qaeda, and groups affiliated with them, insiders and analysts say.On July 6, Hizb-e-Islami chief GulbuddinHekmatyar asked his militants to support the Islamic



State in its fight against Taliban – his old rivals who formed a government in Kabul by throwing out the Afghan Mujahedeen, including himself. That is the latest in a series of bad news for Afghan Taliban and Al Qaeda. Hizb-e-Islami, which has claimed several terrorist acts in Afghanistan, including an attack on a team of aid workers in the Badakhshan province in 2010 and a bomb explosion targeting a pair of US military vehicles in 2013 – was in contact with IS for long, sources in Peshawar say. The distribution of IS leaflets in Afghan refugee camps in Peshawar last year was believed to be the handiwork of Hizb-e-Islami, although the group’s leaders had rejected the allegation. The organization led by the former Afghan prime minister has thousands of active fighters in Afghanistan and it is likely to help IS recruit and establish a base in the region, say analysts closely watching the activities of one of the oldest Jihadi group of the region. Background interviews with locals suggest that a ‘threatening letter’ from Afghan Taliban – who want to be named the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan – was also a sign of fears about the IS that persist among the Taliban ranks. ZubairBabakarkhail, a Kabul based journalist, agrees that the letter demonstrates the very high degree of concern.“Taliban have declared 2015 the year of their ultimate victory, and they are now faced with a new problem in shape of the IS, which is threatening to make their decade-long efforts futile,”says Babakarkhail, who has been interacting with local Taliban commanders for his journalistic assignments. “Initially, the Afghan Taliban’s policy was to ignore the IS and not give them too much importance,” says Hasan Abdullah, an Islamabad based security analyst. But later, they felt that the IS was trying to create friction, polarize the jihadis, and instigate a rebellion against the leadership of Mullah Umar.” The letter, addressed to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi from Al-Haj Mullah Akhtar Mansoor – the deputy of Mullah Umar – was written on June 16, and has underscored the importance of unity among jihadis, which according to the Taliban leadership could be maintained only if both the groups continued to work in their own areas of influence – Afghanistan, and the Arab world. “It seems that through the letter, the Taliban have tried to gain a high moral ground while trying to contain IS at the same time,” says Abdullah. To many, the letter is more than a threat from the Taliban to the Iraq and Syria based terrorist outfit. They say it was aimed at making it clear that Taliban don’t subscribe to the IS viewpoint. They openly oppose its presence in the region, deeming it against the Jihadi cause. Babrak Yousafzai, a journalist from the Nangarhar province of Afghanistan, however gives little importance to the letter. He says it made very little impact on the IS, which issued on its website a retaliatory ‘warning’ to Taliban commanders to either join their Khorasan (Afghanistan) chapter, or get ready to be killed. Babakarkhail sees IS a ‘not-so-distant’ threat to both the Afghan government and the Taliban.According to a report published on June 30, fighting between Taliban and IS has spread across several districts in the Nangarhar province. In January, Maulana Abdul Rauf, an important Afghan Taliban commander from Helmond province, paid allegiance to Al Baghdadi. The announcement was followed by severe fighting. By now, the IS has gained Helmond, Farah and Nangarhar, three of the Afghanistan’s 34 provinces.On July 5, the militants of IS warned local farmers in the eastern Nangarhar province to stop cultivating opium. They also reportedly slapped some local smokers and those using ‘naswar’, a famous tobacco snuff consumed by Pashtuns around the world. On January 27, on Pakistani side of the Durand Line, an important Pakistani Taliban leader, Hafiz Saeed Khan, announced his allegiance to Al Baghdadi and reportedly took charge as the emir of IS in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Some disgruntled Taliban groups like Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan’s Mehmond chapter, and the former TTP spokesman ShahidullahShahid, also announced allegiance to the IS chief – a new claimant for the title AmeerulMomineen, which was previously claimed by Mullah Umar.



Before that, IS literature was distributed in the Afghan refugees camps of Shamshato and Jalozai in September last year. The leaflets, though published in the MohallahJangi area of the city, could not be distributed in the settled areas. Since one of the camps is considered the headquarters of Hekmatyar’sHizb-e-Islami, it was believed that the IS might be enjoying the support of the group. Among the prominent activities of IS was “wall chalking” in the Baloch belt of Balochistan province — an area with little or no Taliban and Al Qaeda influence. Two recent police statements indicate IS’ growing influence over the militants already associated with Al Qaeda. Experts say if the IS intends to launch itself in the region, then, like other militant organizations, would have to build a proper organizational structure, which they lack at present.Al Qaeda too has announced a South Asia chapter, which analysts see as a reaction to IS activities in Pakistan. The IS is trying hard, and the support from the Hizb will help it organize itself in the region, one expert said. But does is it in a position to become a real threat to the much larger Taliban and their allies? “So far it seems that the IS does not have a very strong footprint in the region,” says Abdullah. “On the other hand, the Afghan Taliban are well organised and there is a strong alliance between them and Al Qaeda.” The IS has tried to assert its authority in parts of Afghanistan but so far it seems to be lacking the grassroots support enjoyed by Taliban and Al Qaeda, he says.That is not their only problem. The IS might fail to have a strong foothold in Afghanistan, analysts say, because the its instructions to locals to stop cultivating opium – which serves as a key source of income for Afghans – will further hurt the support they have among the locals, if any. In background interviews, many locals see the IS as a foreign group. According to Babrak, many in Afghanistan also believe that the IS enjoys the support of the US and some European countries. The IS has turned out to be harsher with the people of the Shia community than the Taliban, forcing the Shia Hazaras in the southern districts to form an anti-IS alliance with Taliban. The Afghans – most dominantly Hanafi Muslims – are also opposing the IS on the ground of their typical Wahabi ideology. Unlike Afghanistan, recent disclosures reveal that the young people in Pakistan are attracted towards the IS. On July 1, a Karachi police official, Raja Umar Khattab, claimed that the suspects in the recent attack on Ismaili Shias and liberal activist Sabeen Mahmud – said to be associated with Al Qaeda in South Asia – were also inspired by the IS. A day later, three suspects were arrested in Peshawar. Two of them, Asmatullah and AbdurRehman, are Afghan nationals also inspired by the Islamic State. The IS’ gains in Afghanistan and its influence over the young minds in Pakistan may not be an immediate threat to the militants already active in the region, but possible infighting between the rival groups fighters will certainly be a threat to peace in the region.


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Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri The Coordinator 2015 Part 4-1- TB-36-Mullah Omar-12