Russia funded and equipped Taliban in the north: Former Taliban commander

By Mehrullah Mehrdad

Baghlan: Mohammad Ibrahim, one of the former Taliban commanders who is now affiliated with the Afghan government has accused Russia of funding and equipping their forces in northern Afghanistan. He has also said that the Taliban fighters in northern Afghanistan are supported by powerful states in the region. The famous Taliban commander who recently joined the government at least three years ago with more than 120 of his subordinates, has said that he is now uncovering the funding sources for the group in the north. He has also claimed that all of their activates were reinforced from outside the country. Mohammad Ibrahim, the prominent Taliban leader who had carried out anti-government activities in several districts of Samangan province, has now revealed this regarding the funding of the Taliban’s fighters in the north.  The former Talib now says: “Russia has contributed a large part of its [Taliban’s] advanced weapons, including laser night visions and laser weapons which are  of Russian make, and all such equipment were transferred to the armed opposition by other regional players such as Pakistan.”

Previously, Mawlawi Abdul Manan Neyazi, who had led the Taliban’s isolated branch in the western part of the country, has said that Russia helps the Taliban group in the north with advanced laser weapons. Last year, Borka district governor of Baghlan reported in a private conversation with a local Baghlan media outlet about the funding and arming that the Taliban group in the north received from outside the country by the foreign intelligence service, especially Russia. Mawlawi Shams-D-Din Shahab, the former district governor of Borka district of Baghlan, said: “Pakistan’s ISI bought eight thousand Russian made Laser weapons for its army, and then the ISI made similar to Russian weapons to its army and the type of weapons which has been provided by Russia to Pakistan Army was transferred to the Taliban group in northern Afghanistan.»

Meanwhile, the Russian ambassador to Kabul Alexander Mantetskey, in a special conversation with the Pasbanan News Agency (PNA), said: “We will never endeavor to finance and equip the armed opposition groups who are fighting against Afghanistan government and its security forces because equipping and supporting this group has no benefit. We will not do anything in this issue, but Moscow believes in a peaceful Afghanistan with strong institutions, because peace in Afghanistan is more important to Russia.” These claims of the former district governor were confirmed at that time by the former commander of Baghlan. Baghlan Police Chief emphasized that the Baghlan security forces have repeatedly been able to seize advanced equipment of Russian origin from the armed opposition forces during their operations.

The Taliban group has not said anything about the claims of Mohammed Ibrahim, the former commander of the group in Samangan, the district governor of Borka and Mawlawi Abdul Manan Neyazi, a commander of Taliban Isolated group in the west.

(Pasbanan Media Group is partner organisation of International Affairs Review)

Aditi Bhaduri

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