A Brief Overview on the Life of the Warlord of Herat “Final”:
The occupation of Afghanistan by the United States lasted a full twenty years, during which the people of Afghanistan, including the suffering nation of Herat, endured various torments and hardships. Warlords who called themselves jihadist leaders, however, remained completely silent in utter humiliation during this period.
The green American dollars, during the twenty years of occupation of this country, had dazzled individuals like Ismail Khan and other warlords, trapping them in a quagmire of corruption and depravity, and steering them away from the path of jihad and service to the people towards greed, lust for power, and betrayal of national and Islamic ideals.
The widespread corruption that had taken root among the leaders of the Republic regime and had tainted each one of them had not only exasperated the people of Afghanistan but also their patrons, due to the severity of incompetence and endless thefts, leading them to doubt the sustainability of such a puppet regime.
This can be considered one of the important and fundamental reasons for the United States’ withdrawal from the war with the Taliban and its willingness to come to the negotiation table; negotiations that later led to the historic Doha Agreement and the determination of a timeline for the disgraceful and humiliating exit of American occupiers from this land.
However, as expected, this event, after a relatively short period of time, further weakened the shaky foundations of the puppet Republic’s government and echoed the whispers of its downfall from the citadel to the farthest corners of the country.
With the signs of the fall of the republic becoming apparent, most warlords, seeing their positions and power at risk, took up arms once again. However, this time, the suffering people of Afghanistan, who had recognized the true faces of the warlords during the republic, turned their backs on them and left them alone in the fight against the Taliban.
Ismail Khan, despite the advice of the scholars and elders of Herat city not to fight against the Taliban, took up arms and declared resistance and defiance against the Taliban’s increasing advances.
Interestingly, Ismail Khan called the defense of the corrupt and puppet regime of the Republic, which was essentially a defense of his own personal interests, a jihad in the way of Allah. Under this pretext, he deceived a number of naive young people and wasted their blood for his own survival on the throne of power in Herat.
Finally, the historic city of Herat was liberated from the yoke of oppression and injustice of the Republic regime on the 21st of Asad 1400, and Ismail Khan was captured by the caretaker government. After a short period, due to the general amnesty by the Taliban leader and his emphasis on avoiding further war and bloodshed in the country, Ismail Khan was released and transferred to his home under the full protection of the caretaker government.
After a relatively short period of time, Ismail Khan sought refuge for the third time with his old patron, Iran, and despite his commitment not to act against the caretaker government, he broke his promise and occasionally participated in the gatherings and meetings of the government’s opponents.
However, although Ismail Khan’s role was prominent among the opponents of the caretaker government in the early days, in the past two years, this notorious figure of Afghanistan has become a spent pawn, and it is rare for intelligence agencies and enemies of the Afghan people to use him as a tool.
To be continued…
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