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Revision as of 17:05, 2 July 2022
The Islamic Emirate of Kunar was a unrecognized Islamic quasi-state led by Jamil al-Rahman.
History
After the withdrawal of Soviet troops in 1988, Kunar province fell entirely under mujahideen control. In the recently captured areas, armed groups committed many atrocities against the civilian population, and fought each other for supremacy over the province. Kunar, which had already suffered heavily during repeated Soviet offensives, was devastated by these clashes.[1] Jamil al-Rahman managed to gradually eliminate all his rivals, until the only other remaining force in Kunar was that of Hezbi Islami. In March 1990, the two groups agreed to form a joint shura, but differences quickly reappeared, in particular over the question of the Gulf War. While Hekmatyar took an anti-American, anti-Saudi monarchy stance, Jamil al-Rahman chose to support his Saudi and Kuwaiti patrons.[2] In January 1991 Jamil al-Rahman unilaterally proclaimed the creation of the Islamic Emirate of Kunar.[3] He appointed his own ministers of Defense, Interior, Foreign Affairs, Justice, Information, Finance and Education. In accordance with his Salafi creed, Jamil al-Rahman tried to eradicate Afghan traditions which he considered un-Islamic, such as the use of flags over the graves of martyrs fallen in the jihad, and the building of monuments over the tombs of holy men (pirs). In the spring of 1991 fighting resumed between Jamil al-Rahman's forces and Hezbi Islami, which lost most of its bases in Kunar. This prompted Hekmatyar to launch a counterattack with several hundred men, in cooperation of other mujahideen factions.[3] On April 20, 1991, an explosion in his Asadabad headquarters, apparently the result of a Scud missile strike,[4] killed many of Jamil al-Rahman's followers and he was overthrown by Hekmatyar.[5] Local witnesses reported that the salafists were massacred by Hekmatyars men.[6] Jamil al-Rahman was forced to flee to Pakistan.
See also
References
- ^ Rubin, p. 261
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Rubin1
was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b Dorronsoro, Gilles (2005). Revolution Unending. Afghanistan: 1979 to the present. London: Hurst. p. 231. ISBN 1-85065-703-3.
- ^ Lewis, George, Fetter, Steve and Gronlund, Lisbeth (1993). Casualties and damage from Scud attacks in the 1991 Gulf War. Defense and Arms Control Studies Program, Center for International Studies, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, p. 13
- ^ Adamec, Ludwig W. "Historical Dictionary of Afghanistan." Scarecrow Press. Lanham, Maryland, 2003."
- ^ Ruttig, Thomas (2010-01-14). "On Kunar's Salafi Insurgents". Afghanistan Analysts Network. Retrieved 2010-04-29.