‘Afghanistan has gone back to the dark ages’: Ahmad Massoud

A 12 months after the Taliban took over Afghanistan, Ahmad Massoud — the founder and chief of National Resistance Front of Afghanistan, the important thing opposition to the Taliban — says the nation has moved a number of steps again on all fronts. In an unique interview to The Indian Express from an undisclosed location, the 33-year-old son of legendary fighter Ahmad Shah Massoud, who was often known as the Lion of Panjshir, talked in regards to the state of affairs in Afghanistan beneath Taliban, Pakistan’s position in supporting the Taliban and terrorist teams, and the way he desires assist from India in army logistics and the resistance from guerrilla fighters inside Afghanistan.

What is your evaluation of the Afghan state of affairs beneath Taliban rule within the final one 12 months?

I can say that beneath the rule of the Taliban, Afghanistan took not only one, or two however many huge steps again, from political, social and financial improvement, and from tolerance, openness, acceptance and plenty of different points of our society. We have misplaced the rule of legislation, establishments, and the belief of the folks.

Afghanistan has grow to be remoted as soon as once more. It has additionally grew to become a hub for terrorism beneath Taliban rule. Let’s not overlook that girls have utterly misplaced their rights — to check, to work, to be a part of the federal government and even to dwell.

The minorities, like Sikhs and Shias, have misplaced their sense of safety, security and acceptance in society. We have misplaced the liberty of speech and we have now misplaced freedom as an entire. Afghanistan has gone again to the darkish ages.

What are you preventing for?

I don’t need energy and my wrestle is for justice proper now. There isn’t any such factor as justice in Afghanistan. My individuals are being focused and persecuted. There isn’t any freedom. There isn’t any proper for girls or for different ethnicities. There’s tyranny in my nation. So on this state of affairs, my battle, it’s for justice and freedom. I don’t need something for myself so long as I see my nation respiratory the air of freedom and having a simply authorities which is appointed by the folks.

You talked about the difficulty of terrorism. Al Qaeda chief Al Zawahiri was residing in Kabul and was killed in a drone assault. What does that let you know about existence of terror teams?

I consider that this was a very good step, one evil man much less on this world. However, it was not shocking for us that the Taliban was harbouring Zawahiri. Our intelligence, from Taliban and Al Qaeda’s behaviour, indicated that the 2 are in full cooperation. The Taliban are harbouring them, and plenty of different terrorist teams are actually lively in Afghanistan. They are strolling round and working freely. In the final one 12 months, we have now tried to clarify to the world that giving in to the desire of the Taliban is giving in to the desire of terrorism as an entire. We should put all of the stress required to make them accountable to worldwide legislation, particularly in relation to countering terrorism, and likewise establishing a justice system.

How do you see Pakistan’s position of their assist to the Taliban and the terrorist infrastructure?

Pakistan has all the time performed this double recreation, that they all the time attempt to assist the teams which destabilise different nations with out understanding the results of it. Right now, they’ve loads of points internally, too, and it is because of their very own behaviour concerning the folks of Afghanistan and the state of affairs of Afghanistan. They clearly settle for it — that they supported the Taliban, they harboured them for the previous 20 years. The leaders had been discovered there, and if Afghanistan was not recaptured by the Taliban, we might positively see the killing of Ayman Al Zawahiri — in Pakistan, as an alternative of Kabul — similar to Osama bin Laden. So Pakistan has supported and harboured Al Qaeda, the Taliban and plenty of different teams.

Instead of supporting a reputable, impartial ally in Afghanistan, referred to as the federal government of the Republic of Afghanistan with all of the variations, they took the fallacious path and the fallacious technique, which brought about Afghanistan to fall. This is a hearth that Pakistan performed with, and we are going to see in the end that it’ll backfire at them. I consider that Pakistan needed Afghanistan to grow to be a Waziristan, they didn’t need all these terror camps to exist inside Pakistan. So, they pushed all of it inside Afghanistan, they usually didn’t care in regards to the Afghan folks. As I communicate many of the terrorists coming to my nation are nonetheless coming by way of Pakistan.

Pakistan performed the position of a supporter and mentor to the Taliban. However, folks of Afghanistan had been hoping that regardless of all of the variations previously 20 years, Pakistan will present that it really modified its technique and coverage and eventually, they are going to grow to be a wise and good neighbour to all of us. But they confirmed that they haven’t modified.

The rule of the Taliban can be a protected haven, and particularly when there isn’t a reputable authorities in Kabul. It is a protected haven for a lot of terrorist teams, Jaish-e-Mohammed and plenty of others that are a menace to India, and to all nations within the area. For them to flourish, to make use of Afghanistan to function, to recruit and strategically goal their very own kind of targets. The occasions in Kashmir have multiplied because the takeover of the Taliban. There is a direct hyperlink between Afghanistan beneath the rule of the Taliban and the rise within the violence in Kashmir and likewise enhance within the violence of those terrorist teams as a result of they see the chance that if we proceed the bloodshed and the phobia acts, similar to the Taliban, we will even be supported, we will even achieve success in establishing an extremist authorities some other place. It is essential for all of us to place all efforts collectively and to defeat this extremist narrative, as a result of it’s spreading.

How do you see India’s position, and can this unfold to India?

Absolutely, this hearth will burn many nations. We noticed the occasions that occurred on the Iranian border, a conflict between Uzbek border forces and the Taliban, comparable issues occurring with Tajiks and doubtless, we are going to see some clashes with Turkmens as nicely. Afghanistan will grow to be a protected haven for teams which can goal India’s safety pursuits. Without a shred of doubt we are going to see a rise in violence and in motivation. Terrorist teams have all congratulated Taliban for his or her victory and institution of a Sharia authorities. It will not be Islamic in my private opinion. It could be very a lot necessary to not enable such mentality and beliefs to take root.

Your father Ahmad Shah Massoud fought the Taliban, led the Northern Alliance, and was supported by India. What is the distinction in India’s strategy?

I believe the distinction in strategy is the hesitation. India continues to be within the means of assessing the state of affairs. This hesitation is deadly. It could be very fallacious. And we want fast motion earlier than the ideology takes root or earlier than the terrorist discover a basis. It is essential to grasp we’re on the identical web page, and we’re persevering with the identical path of my father. So the earlier the hesitation is over, the earlier we come to the conclusion that there needs to be a joint effort collectively in opposition to terrorism within the area, the higher. Because whether or not we prefer it or not, we’re the final line of defence of Afghanistan’s folks in opposition to terrorism.

So what’s the state of affairs of the resistance now inside Afghanistan or every other areas?

We have managed to do a couple of issues previously one 12 months. First, we created a command and management centre which we lacked earlier than however we’re in our infancy. We don’t have any assist from outdoors in any respect. It relies on the generosity of our personal folks and their dedication and need to proceed to withstand and battle. We began from Panjshir valley, and expanded to Herat, Faryab, Mazhar, Kunduz, Baghlan, Takhar and Badakhshan. We have our forces in all of those provinces, together with in Parwan, Kapisa. We have greater than 3,500 forces. We assist them, give them a wage and they’re preventing. But our tactic at this second is precisely what my father used in opposition to the Soviets at the moment, which was guerrilla warfare. The Taliban haven’t had many assaults on us. Their success is proscribed they usually achieved nothing. They kill harmless civilians. They are capturing and imprisoning the households of these resistance and our fighters.

Have you been in contact or have you ever reached out to any Indian authorities official or representatives for assist?

I’ve reached out to all of the nations which I consider might play a task in Afghanistan, and to allow them to know the state of affairs and likewise to allow them to know our readiness. Instead of operating away from my nation’s issues, or searching for refuge in different nations, or going to the West and residing a traditional life, to inform them that there’s a era prepared to face up, to withstand and never enable for terrorism to take off. I’ve reached out to India, however the hesitation has been a block. When it involves the Indian insurance policies, particularly after one other collapse of a Republic, which was a companion of India, there was a interval which the Indian authorities required to evaluate the state of affairs. But I hope we see some actual strikes by our longtime associates, in assist of the folks of Afghanistan and their wrestle for freedom quickly.

Could you inform me who you reached out to within the Indian institution?

We have despatched messages to all ranges of the federal government. I’ve despatched my representatives to speak to many nations concerning the state of affairs in Afghanistan.

Is Amrullah Saleh, who labored together with your father, and with India nonetheless with you. And what assist would you like in concrete phrases?

Yes, Mr. Saleh is with us and he is part of the wrestle. And he additionally believes that there needs to be an effort collectively to liberate the nation. And concerning India, we require a couple of issues.

We want a political resolution and we want the entire area and the world to place political stress on the Taliban for them to determine a reputable, inclusive authorities by way of the choice of the Afghan folks. My expertise reveals that simply by condemnations or releasing statements, the Taliban is not going to give up. What we want is a continuation of the resistance, working collectively to liberate the nation or a part of the nation to place stress on the Taliban to come back to this acceptance. This was my father’s imaginative and prescient. He stated we want the Taliban to come back to the phrases of the world and to the area that we require a reputable, acceptable authorities by all.

People are prepared to face up and battle, however they want assist. The new era, particularly the ladies and the younger, wish to get up. The most necessary factor is the political assist and logistics. People of Afghanistan wish to battle and to proceed resistance in opposition to terrorism.

Do you need India to provide army assist?

We will settle for assist from any nation keen to assist us. The Taliban are receiving assist from worldwide terrorist teams, and they’re bringing oppression and tyranny on my folks. We should not have the lack of knowledge, folks and troopers, however we lack logistics.

I used to be not a part of the federal government and the resistance was created after the autumn of the Republic. All the logistics and all the things which was within the hand of the Republic, the Taliban took all of that. Everything that we have now is due to the generosity of the folks. If you see that previously one 12 months, we survived the winters, the Taliban revenge assaults. We didn’t go away. In truth we’re spreading very quick. It is all occurring with actually no outdoors assist. So simply think about how profitable it will likely be with the assist. We have, on one facet, a terrorist administration, which is supported by some terrorist-supported state. And, on the opposite facet, we have now the democratic, reasonable and true patriots of Afghanistan preventing for their very own nation in opposition to worldwide terrorism with nothing.

India has revived its diplomatic mission and is extending humanitarian assist. But you appear to need extra than simply meals grains.

With all my coronary heart, I’m grateful and grateful for the assist that India has been giving. I thank the Indian authorities and wonderful Indian folks. And I urge them to proceed the assist as a result of Afghanistan goes in the direction of a humanitarian disaster. The folks don’t have anything to eat.

However, it is rather necessary to watch it as a result of my intelligence reveals that the Taliban has used this humanitarian assist for their very own forces and their households, not the folks actually in want. They aren’t distributing help justly, they usually give it to 1 space greater than the others primarily based on ethnicity.

We noticed what occurred with the Sikhs. Unfortunately, the brutality of Taliban and the terrorism is past creativeness. We noticed the catastrophic impression on the Sikh group of Afghanistan which broke my coronary heart. And more durable than the assault, was the departure of my Sikh brothers and sisters from Afghanistan, which is completely comprehensible. But I by no means imagined that they’d be compelled to depart their houses. They are part of us and we’re part of you.

I consider that we can’t change something with simply interplay, condemnation or humanitarian assist. We have to take some measurable, sturdy and concrete determination in countering terrorism. Engaging with terrorism shouldn’t be an choice.

There is a notion that Taliban captured the nation, however is unable to handle it.

We knew that the Taliban are good at preventing however they don’t seem to be good as a authorities. For instance, when the folks had nothing to eat, their chief stated that that is from God, they should settle for it. When it involves ladies’s schooling, they ask why ladies want schooling once they have their husbands. When the economic system was dangerous, their leaders stated they need to pray. So that is their strategy. It doesn’t matter how dangerous the state of affairs will get for the Taliban, it received’t get as dangerous as going again to the caves. For them, that is heaven. They don’t care in regards to the well-being of the folks of Afghanistan, they usually simply wish to keep in energy. They are obsessive about it.

And 1000’s of credible and gifted Afghans have left the nation —academics, nurses, medical doctors. Right now, Afghanistan lacks personnel. They can’t proceed to rule like this. And many who had been optimistic in regards to the Taliban one 12 months in the past are very skeptical proper now. They aren’t proud of the state of affairs they usually don’t see any hope on the finish of this darkish tunnel.

The Taliban supplied you a task within the authorities within the regime. Why didn’t you’re taking it up?

Yes, after I met the Taliban Foreign Minister Mr [Amir Khan] Mottaqi in Tehran in January, he supplied me a minister’s place within the authorities. There was nothing official, he stated it verbally. I informed them that Mr Mottaqi, you bought all of it fallacious. My wrestle is to not discover a place for myself. Both Mr [Ashraf] Ghani and Mr [Hamid] Karzai had requested me to grow to be a minister and I had refused. My concern at the moment was corruption in the best way of governing. And I informed them that the best way they ruled would finish in a disaster, which is what occurred.

I informed Mr Mottaqi that we fought for 20 years, however proper now there is a chance that every one of us can set up a simply authorities by way of a reputable course of. Let’s all go and be part of a reputable course of. In 2001, when the Mujahideen got here, as an alternative of creating their very own authorities all of them gathered on the Bonn convention with leaders from completely different sides of the political spectrum of Afghanistan. They all agreed in that course of, and the kind of transition interval that was acceptable by the area and the world. I need the cycle of violence to finish. Let’s all settle for an intra Afghan dialogue, much like the Bonn convention, to create a transition interval and a course of to create a reputable authorities. Then if 90 per cent of the federal government includes the Taliban, I’ll settle for it. But the method should be accepted by the Afghan folks and the world. Right now, you got here to energy with the barrel of a gun. Even if I be part of you, it doesn’t imply the folks will be part of. It signifies that I’m additionally dipping myself within the pool of dust. I can’t be part of a authorities which doesn’t consider within the rule of individuals and the rule of legislation. I’m a powerful believer of a democratic authorities that requires folks to resolve for their very own destiny and future. It doesn’t matter in the event that they even proposed the management of that authorities to me, I don’t settle for.

You had been one of many younger Afghans who studied abroad after which got here again to Afghanistan for a greater future. Do you assume it is a chance misplaced after 20 years of onerous work rebuilding the nation?

Absolutely. You don’t know what number of days and nights I spent imagining if we as a brand new era had a couple of extra years of stability, and the issues that we might do to forestall this disaster. There was an important alternative. But it was misplaced. We had a powerful establishment referred to as military and armed forces, which was misplaced because of the dangerous insurance policies, dangerous politicians and dangerous neighbours.

We had previously one 12 months a possibility to construct a stronger authorities to face up to all of those dangerous intentions and violence. I by no means imagined in one million years after I was learning in London, I’d return to my nation and battle as a result of I’m not a violent particular person and I hate conflict, similar to my father. It has all the time been compelled upon us. I don’t prefer it. I’ve no alternative however to defend my folks as a result of they’re invading my home, my household, my folks and my nation. There’s no alternative however to face up. However, my experience is for the political options in Afghanistan. But earlier than my era might get into politics, or do one thing useful for our nation, the collapse occurred. I really feel so unhappy and upset generally desirous about what an important alternative was misplaced.

What do you miss most in Afghanistan?

My folks. I simply miss the eyes of my folks, their fingers, their laughter, the hope and love of my folks.

Of course, I like the nation and its geography too. But with out its folks, geography is nothing. Afghanistan has the very best folks on the earth and the worst politicians. This is our future.

And I’m simply making an attempt to be somebody who loves his folks and does all the things for its folks and to observe the trail of my father. It’s an enormous accountability and I pray to God each day and to make me profitable, to make me do one thing to be worthy of the wonderful folks of Afghanistan.