A R C H I V E S
Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board
| Interview with a Talib commander |
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| Kashif |
| 04/01/02 at 15:47:29 |
| Interview With Taliban Military Commander Al-Jazeera’s Ahmad Zeedan: Would you please tell us what actually occurred in the operations that took place in the east of Afghanistan – in Gardez, Paktia, Khost and in the mountains of Arama in Shahee Kot? What really happened in these battles and what was the outcome?<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> Taliban Commander: The confirmed information we have at this time that 16 American aircraft were downed during the battle that took place in Arma and eastern Afghanistan. Although sometimes reports may be exaggerated, most often when a plane is hit, it crashes and its passengers are killed. Among these aircraft, the Mujahideen were able to seize 3 fully operational helicopters after killing their passengers. Alhamdulilah. As far as the prisoners are concerned, we have captured 18 men and two women. The numbers of the killed and injured that local people reported can be difficult to determine in the confusion that occurs in such a large scale attack on American forces, however we can confirm that the Taliban now have 20 prisoners that include American, Canadian and other nationalities. Ahmad Zeedan: So you confirm the American prisoners. What do you intend to do with them? Are there any secret negotiations between you and the Americans and if so, who is the mediator in these negotiations? Commander: We have said in the past, and continue to say, that we are treating the prisoners according to Islamic Shari’ah law that demands we show mercy to prisoners regardless of their nationality or their actions during this conflict. We will not treat these prisoners as the Americans have treated our prisoners at Guantanamo Bay which Al-Jazeera TV has clearly broadcast. We don’t beat prisoners and I am sure if the American people saw the prisoners here with us, they would be confused and probably wouldn’t think they were prisoners at all! In the Islamic law, oppression of prisoners is not allowed. Our treatment of them is clearly expressed in the rules of the Islamic Shari’ah which are just. Ahmad Zeedan: What has the American reaction been to your demands and what steps are they taking to free the prisoners? Commander: Negotiations are currently going on between ourselves and the Americans however the Americans have changed their original response to our demands. Initially, they insisted knowing who shoot their planes down in the area where the battles took place however we insisted on talking about the prisoners and what the Americans will offer for us in return for their freedom. They then asked for us to give them ten days to think about what they will offer and, up to now, we haven’t heard anything more from them. There has been speculation on this issue in the media but most of the information is false. We are still waiting for the American response to our demands. Among the prisoners there are two American commanders whose names and ranks I am personally not prepared to disclose. There are two Afghans now working as mediators between ourselves and the American leadership here in Afghanistan. Ahmad Zeeda: And what it the truth about the American losses in this current battle? Is what we hear from the American media that their losses don’t exceed 9 dead and that only 40 or 50 or 60 soldiers were injured true or are their losses much higher? Commander: The confirmed information from the battlefields we have currently is that in the first day of the battle, we sustained only 3 martyrs, which mounted to 25 martyrs and 23 injured by the end of the battle. The media and American officials say that our losses totalled 600 which are absolutely false. Look, if 600 sheep would be killed or would die in Afghanistan there would be no way of covering this information up! So if you can’t hide sheep, how can you hide that many human beings? There is no way to cover up such information. As I told you, there are not more than 25 martyrs and 23 injured…the truth is that we have started to believe that it is not even us who have attacked those Americans, so all this is a “Karama” (miracle) by Allah –subhanahu wa ta’ala- for the Mujahideen who are defending Afghanistan. This miracle is confirmation for Allah’s saying to his Prophet – sallAllahu aleihi wa salam- : “And you threw not when you did throw but Allah threw” (8:17). All the brothers got really confused how they can kill these great numbers although we didn’t do much in the battle. In the first day of the battle, 120 Americans were killed along with 80 of the corrupt Afghan forces and we assure you that by the end of the battle there were 170 Americans killed and none of the corrupt Afghan forces left the battlefield alive! Ahmad Zeedan: Can you tell me, and our audience, where Mullah Muhammad Umar, the leader of the Taliban and Usama bin Laden, leader of the Al-Qaida organization currently are? Commander: Concerning their whereabouts, I have really no information and do not know anything about their movements. When you leave your friend, how can you know his current location? To talk about their whereabouts would only be speculation - many don’t know where Mullah Umar or Usama bin Laden are and I’m one of those! Ahmad Zeedan: Let’s talk about the strategy of the Taliban movement in the war against the American forces. Could you please tell us about your strategy? What are your expectations for continuing in this war? What are your future plans? Commander: As for the future of the Taliban movement, six years have now passed since its foundation, but the reality that this movement is now facing is very tough. If we decide to reclaim a district or an area and by the way, this is not very difficult, we know we will come under severe attack by the Americans from all positions. The situation is exactly how Allah –subhanahu wa ta’ala- said in His Holy Book: “When they came upon you from above you and from below you” (33:10). It has now become clear to the whole world that the Taliban will defend Islam and their country and that they will never abandon this compulsory duty. Furthermore we are determined to defend ourselves, to fight a guerrilla war and to broaden this guerrilla war to all areas of Afghanistan. We stand on our right of self-defence according the Islamic, national and human viewpoints and we will continue to fulfil this right of self-defence. The whole world witnessed what the Taliban did over the past six years and the future lies in the Hand of Allah –subhanahu wa ta’ala- and our duty is only the work and the resistance! Ahmad Zeedan: Are you going to start a guerrilla war in Afghanistan and are going to try to spread this form of resistance in other areas of Afghanistan? Commander: Each region needs a strategy that is unique to its region and therefore the question is asked why we haven’t started these (guerrilla) operations in Baktia or Khost yet? The nature and landscape is a crucial factor in any operation or military movement, and the Muslims should only wait with the will of Allah. Whether we start now or later, the responsibility doesn’t change and we will continue our right in the self-defence of our country and our Islam. I tell you if we are killed now, the resistance against the American enemy will not end as there are others who will take over our role, for Jihad is a duty and the right of all Afghan people. Other military leaders will take over tomorrow, they will join this Jihad and they will join the Afghan people and, even if this doesn’t happen tomorrow, it will happen in the near future. Ahmad Zeedan: Many were surprised how fast the Taliban fell, how quickly they were destroyed and how rapidly they abandoned the wide areas that were under your control. What are the reasons that led to this quick fall, which neither the Western nor even the Afghan sources expected? Commander: This is a legitimate question. Why did we leave the city so early? We gave this much thought. Before the fall of Kandahar, there was a conference of the Taliban concerning the war and the current situation in Afghanistan and we decided to leave the Afghan cities to ascend to the mountains. Otherwise the bombardment and the destruction would have continued and it would be the Afghan people who would have to pay for this vast destruction. We tasted and watched our resistance bases in the cities being completely destroyed, while there was not such destruction in places without resistance. In fact, one of the main reasons why we left the cities is that, since the beginning, the Taliban movement came to establish security and peace for the Afghan people, not to spread destruction and damage. The Taliban were very angry about the continuation of American bombardments on the Afghan people and the regions which they claim they want to establish safety in. For these reasons, we had no other choice than to leave certain areas, and therefore we left no excuses for the Americans to continue bombing. Ahmad Zeedan: You have been accused by the Americans and the World community in general of being a terrorist movement or organization who has harboured many terrorists from many countries and who have caused many difficulties to America, to many Arab and non-Arab countries. How do you respond to these accusations? Commander: I don’t know what to tell you Ahmad Zeedan. What is the meaning of “terrorism”? This word that has not been defined yet everybody talks about the Taliban movement and describes it as a terrorist organization that harbours terrorists, but this isn’t true. I have studied in school for sixteen years and during this time I have not come across any definition of “terrorism” and no definition of “terrorists”. America looks at the Islamic and non-Islamic matters with different eyes and therefore we have no reference to the meaning of this “terrorism”. If we look, for instance, at what happened in occupied Palestine, this issue is clear. The Jewish forces posses all kinds of modern military equipment while the Palestinian people must resist with stones and (wooden) sticks. Nevertheless this suppressed people are being accused of “terrorism”. When the Soviet forces invaded Afghanistan with its tanks and planes and the Afghan people resisted with stones and rifles, their resistance wasn’t labelled as terrorism because, at that time, it fit America’s interests. The Afghan people throughout their entire history have always been in a defensive role, and this is their right, and therefore anybody who attack us, will get what they deserve. So does “terrorist” mean somebody who defends his religion, his country and his dead and injured people?!! Is this a terrorist act? Yes, it is "terrorist" according to the American point of view only because we are resisting the Americans and refusing their imperialism. There is no terrorism in Islam, and we do not consider the right of the people to resist as “terrorism”, neither according to our religion nor any other religions. Even Palestinian President Arafat has been accused of terrorism! Why? In a nutshell, this has happened because he has refused the Jewish demands. Our point of view is that somebody whose rights have been violated and whose territory has been violated should and must resist, and therefore it was the duty of the Taliban according to the Islamic law and in accordance with other religions to resist. Any neighbouring country, be it Uzbekistan, Pakistan etc., does not have the right to attack the government of the Taliban and the land of Afghanistan. Islam demands us to respect state borders and therefore the Americans had no reason other than to claim that the Taliban wanted to export what they now call “terrorism” to the neighbouring countries in the future and therefore America had to stop these “Taliban strategies” that they claim. If a suppressed young man comes to Afghanistan, we are required to protect him and offer safety to him as long as there is no land to protect and defend him. Ahmad Zeedan: How do you evaluate the sympathy of the Muslims and Arabs in general to the Taliban movement and do you think that this sympathy is enough or not? You had expected a lot from the Arab and Islamic countries… Commander: The sympathy that we have seen from the people of the Islamic world was very clear. Alhamdulilah! We are really satisfied with this sympathy, and we have heard alot about our support …even the women in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere sympathise with the Taliban movement. Alhamdulilah! The Afghan people have raised the head of the Islamic Ummah when they refused the American imperialism (on Afghanistan). And such heartfelt sympathy in this situation is sufficient for us, and, InschAllah, the Muslims will see from us what will make them happy! Ahmad Zeedan: Many Arabs and Pakistani got angry because you abandoned young Arab and Pakistani men in Northern Afghanistan. In Jalalabad, this led to their extradition to Guantanamo Bay where they are suffering bitterly at the hands of the Americans. Do you consider yourselves responsible for the fate of these Pakistani and Arab and others? Commander: I was in Jalalabad while these differences with our Arab brothers took place. By the way, I have three daughters and I swear by Allah the Great that I undertook to Allah – subhanahu wa ta’ala- to sacrifice my own three daughters for the Arab Mujahideen brothers if this is necessary. This is in order that no bullet or rocket reaches any of our Arab Mujahideen brothers. We would sacrifice our daughters, our property and ourselves for them. There have been many rumors about this issue, but, with the mercy of Allah, the Arabs were welcomed and treated with great respect. There have been the occasional incident but these incidents were very few - not the rule but the exception. The Afghan people in general and the Taliban movement in particular, have sacrificed everything they possessed. You know unquestionably that Ameer ul Mu’mineen Mullah Omar, hero of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, sacrificed everything for a single person whom we refused to hand over or drive out even when many enticements were offered to us. The Afghan people, alhamdulilah, defended the Arab Mujahideen and will continue defending them and join with them in this battle. Ahmad Zeedan: There is information that some countries have offered the Taliban movement financial, military, and political help to attack the Americans. Are these reports true, and if so, which countries have offered you this help? Commander: I have no information currently, whether there are countries that have helped us or offered their help. However everybody sympathizes with us and want us to gain victory, but as far as help or direct involvement is considered I have no information about that. Ahmad Zeedan: Getting back to the issue of the American soldiers who were captured, you said there are negotiations going on between you and the Americans and that mediators going working between you and them. Is there a certain date that you demanded the American administration to reply by or did you send them a warning? In other words, did you send a warning to the American administration that in case they don’t release our prisoners in Guantanamo Bay that you will kill them or do with them what we please? Commander: Some days ago an Afghan shepherd came to us and told us how the American planes, despite all the destruction that they brought by their bombardments, failed to kill him. The bombardment was very severe and despite the fact that it continued over him for two days, he wasn’t injured. You are now talking about the American prisoners and I assure you that we have proof that they are in our captivity. We can not publish this evidence at the moment, but we have it. As for our warnings to the American forces, I assure you that we are not in a hurry on this issue. Yes, we are determined and we want our prisoners back, but we are not in a hurry so we would not warn the Americans to reply by a specific date. We are waiting for the American reply to our conditions that demand the release of the prisoners in Guantanamo Bay in exchange for the release of our prisoners. Transcript of Al-Jazeera’s Interview Translated from Arabic by Hamza (Aired March 26, 2002 Edited for readability in English by Jus |
| NS |
| Re: Interview with a Talib commander |
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| ltcorpest2 |
| 04/01/02 at 16:18:33 |
| i was wondering, and i am not sure it is possible, but in regards to the taliban running a guerilla war that may take many years. What is the percentage of people in afghanistan that support the Taliban (since kashif is moderator i would assume we can talk about them here on this post)? I only know 2 people from there and they hated the Taliban. If they have support of 50% would that give them a right to wage a war that will ruin many lives for many years. |
| Re: Interview with a Talib commander |
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| jannah |
| 04/01/02 at 16:20:47 |
| News related items about Afghanistan/Taliban are fine to post. Discussion about the Taliban is not. |
| Re: Interview with a Talib commander |
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| Kashif |
| 04/01/02 at 19:06:16 |
| assalaamu alaikum Just to confirm what jannah wrote, the item i posted above was as a news article, and not as a pretext to start Taliban discussions. We've had lots of those in the past and they end up in really heated discussions where the same stuff is being hashed over and over again. In the British media at least, there seems to be an increasingly balanced discussion about the future of Afghanistan (slightly), so i'd ask people interested to keep an eye on those papers. Or you can e-mail me. Kashif Wa Salaam |
| NS |
| Re: Interview with a Talib commander |
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| mujaahid |
| 04/02/02 at 08:09:41 |
| Kahief where did you get this article from? |
| Re: Interview with a Talib commander |
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| Kashif |
| 04/02/02 at 09:18:59 |
| assalaamu alaikum kavkaz.org, i don't have the link handy right now. And it was also transmitted by aljazeerah. Kashif Wa Salaam |
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