Jalaluddin haqqani biography

 

Rahimullah Yusufzai

When the Afghan Taliban proclaimed on September 3 that Maulvi Jalaluddin Haqqani had died deviate “natural causes” after a apologize illness, the loss was angry and largely symbolic for authority militants as he had by now faded from memory after gaze rendered inactive more than spruce decade ago by an imprecise disease.

Haqqani belonged to a concluded era.

He was a workman from the past, the Decennium and 1990s to be definite, when the Afghan jihad contradict the Soviet occupying forces observe Afghanistan and later the Taleban war against the Afghan mujahidin factions were at its tor. Haqqani remained active until honourableness early 2000s when he began organizing resistance against the offensive US-led coalition forces.

Much about Haqqani during his last years archetypal life remained a secret.

Class timing of his death was a matter of contention although he was reported dead thing a few occasions in illustriousness past. Afghan officials claimed flair died at least four days ago. A former Afghan spymaster made the bizarre claim rove the belated announcement of Haqqani’s death was linked to illustriousness visit of US Secretary shambles State Mike Pompeo to Pakistan as Islamabad was playing until now another game in the area to promote its interests.

He frank not bother to check go off such visits by US civil service to Pakistan have become dinky matter of routine and uphold now largely unremarkable.

The nature admit disease that paralyzed and straightforward him bedridden is not confessed, though it is said loosen up suffered a stroke.

Haqqani’s preserve of burial also is turn on the waterworks known. Though the Taliban spokesmen insisted that he was covert in Afghanistan, many Afghans guess his burial took place slender Pakistan. Nobody has provided weighing scale evidence to back these claims. The Taliban announcement that Haqqani was 72 at the date of his death is likewise questionable as different years maintain been mentioned as the class of his birth.

Secrecy has bent the strength of Taliban essential it has helped the group’s cause.

It isn’t the twig time that Taliban, or description Haqqani network that is amount and parcel of the flybynight, managed to keep a concealed. Before managing to keep dignity elder Haqqani’s illness, death added burial a secret, Taliban abstruse hidden from the world promulgate tactical reasons the group’s leader Mulla Mohammad Omar’s death more than two years.

Though Haqqani was one of the uppermost powerful and respected Afghan mujahedin commanders who fought against honourableness invading Soviet forces and depiction pro-Moscow communist regime in Kabul in the earlier part entrap his career as a combatant, his subsequent role in formation and building the militant Haqqani network into a formidable champion feared force received a collection more attention.

Haqqani was a heroine for the Afghan mujahideen weather the Taliban, but his opponents termed him a ruthless bloke who introduced suicide bombing sophisticated Afghanistan and killed those separate with him.

The Taliban amount announcing his death was undeniably fulsome as it described him as a religious scholar spreadsheet an exemplary warrior who was “among the great distinguished jihadi personalities of this era.”

There was a time in the Decennary when Haqqani and other Coat mujahideen leaders were hailed orangutan freedom fighters by US Helmsman Ronald Reagan.

Though Haqqani outspoken not visit the US beam meet Reagan at the Pale House in May 1985, niche mujahideen leaders made the journey. Maulvi Yunis Khalis, head reproach the Hezb-i-Islami (Khalis) to which Haqqani belonged, led the incrimination to the US. As both henna-dyed their long, bushy beards, Khalis was inexplicably mistaken bring about Haqqani and it was erroneously reported in the media put off the Haqqani network founder difficult been hosted by the President administration at the White House.

As Haqqani proved his mettle encompass guerilla warfare, he started pocket money admiration from unexpected places meticulous individuals.

The late Congressman Berk Wilson, who lobbied the Loaded Congress and secured millions provide dollars to assist the Afghanistani mujahideen, was so fond receive Haqqani that he referred give a lift him as “goodness personified.” Titanic Arab woman from the Collective Arab Emirates (UAE) reportedly in progress liking the turbaned warrior extort eventually married him as tiara second wife.

The couple reportedly had two sons together, however she and her children prolonged to live in the UAE and apparently did not obtain involved in Haqqani’s activities importance a fighter.

Throughout the Afghan campaign, the American CIA, Pakistan’s ISI and other intelligence agencies were keenly supporting Haqqani.

US corridors of power have admitted that at distinction time he was a dear asset for the CIA. Far ahead with Ahmad Shah Masood, Haqqani was acknowledged as the governing powerful mujahideen commander fighting honesty Soviet Red Army troops reliably Afghanistan from 1979-89. This was the reason they received capital much higher share of wealth, both weapons and money, caress other field commanders.

There were reports that those funding high-mindedness Afghan jihad gave Haqqani additional Masood a share of prestige resources almost equal to ramble given to their parent parties, the Hezb-i-Islami (Khalis) and Professor. Burhanuddin Rabbani’s Jamiat-i-Islami, respectively. Haqqani attracted significant donations from prosperous Muslims, particularly Arabs, as let go was considered a capable governor ready to train and guard Arabs and other ‘guest’ fighters from different countries.

It was during this period that Haqqani built life-long association with interpretation non-Afghan jihadis, including the al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. Enhanced foreigners flocked to him more willingly than to the other mujahideen commanders. Those contacts with al-Qaeda duct other militant groups became wear-resistant and were one of dignity major reasons for the Haqqani network to be sanctioned alongside the UN.

Haqqani, the Pashtun ecclesiastic and warlord belonged to excellence Zadran tribe from the south Paktia province, but his cogency spread beyond his tribe limit area.

Adept at forging alliances and attracting fighters transcending Afghanistan’s mosaic of tribal and national groups, he first rose connection prominence in Loya Paktia, excellence old name of the advanced provinces of Paktia, Paktika limit Khost, and later became careful all over the country.

Though Haqqani had been active in Afghanistan’s splintered Islamic movement in representation mid-1970s and was among probity earliest Afghan fighters to scheme shifted to Pakistan after excellence collapse of an Islamist mutiny against President Sardar Mohammad Daoud, his active career as practised mujahideen commander began when honourableness Afghan communist military officers captured power as a result take up the Saur Revolution in Apr 1978.

The December 1979 Council invasion of Afghanistan gave have in mind impetus to the fight coach waged by Haqqani and concerning Afghans as they justified dull as a jihad against honesty foreign occupation force.

In due way of time, Haqqani established position first mujahideen radio channel dump operated from his vast, tunnel-based training camp in Zhawar call in Afghanistan’s Khost province near excellence border with Pakistan.

This objective, built with money provided timorous bin Laden and other donors, was attacked by Soviet spell Afghan forces backed by airpower for days, but Haqqani’s lower ranks managed to defend it evermore time.

Haqqani’s fame rose in 1991 when he led the violate to seize Khost, the cardinal city captured by the mujahedin after the February 1989 recantation of the Soviet forces deviate Afghanistan.

This was his sec of glory. In an conversation with this writer in Khost a day after the city’s fall, he predicted that that was the beginning of picture end for President Dr. Najibullah’s Kabul regime. His words were prophetic as the communist administration collapsed less than a twelvemonth later and was replaced disrespect the mujahideen government in Apr 1992.

Though Haqqani was made way for justice, the cabinet only just functioned due to the mujahidin infighting.

The fractious mujahideen assemblys made a mess of depiction government while the devastating encounter for Kabul widened the slam and weakened them to much an extent that Taliban captured power without facing any genuine resistance in 1996.

Haqqani formally married the Taliban in late 1995, but he played a subordinate role in the subsequent attack for Kabul in September 1996.

It is said he was always a Talib, having swayed at the Darul Haqqania madrassa in Akora Khattak in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Nowshera district and proudly affixing Haqqani to his label like its other graduates. Notwithstanding, as a shrewd man do something bided his time and coupled the Taliban movement when live began conquering one province afterward another.

In the Taliban ministry formed after the fall line of attack Kabul, Haqqani became the missionary of border and tribal commission. However, Haqqani continued to pigs guidance and fighters to honesty Taliban force fighting battles include northern Afghanistan to seize goodness remaining territory held by class Northern Alliance.

In the peak, Taliban seized more than 90 percent of Afghanistan’s territory, however the fighting never stopped awaiting 9/11 happened and the Lay bare decided to invade the nation to destroy al-Qaeda for intrepidity to attack America and unhorse Taliban from power for harbouring bin Laden.

Like millions of extra Afghans, Haqqani became a displaced person in Pakistan, moving his lengthy family to nearby North Waziristan where he first lived timetabled the main town, Miranshah, opinion then about three kilometres leg up at the camp for Cloak refugees at Danday Darpakhel peculiar.

The family stayed there, confronting several US drone strikes drift killed many of its helpers and at least one onset on the Haqqani-run mosque-cum-madrassa, Manba al-Ulum, by American troops conducted with Islamabad’s permission until loftiness Pakistani military launched the big Zarb-e-Azb operation in June 2014 and forced the surviving district and foreign militants to abandon, relocate or escape to Afghanistan.

The contacts developed by Haqqani exhausted Pakistan during the days hostilities the Afghan jihad continued appearance years.

Even now Pakistan abridge accused of sheltering the Haqqani network, led since the over decade by his son Sirajuddin Haqqani, now in his entirely 40s and a most called for man with a head-money adequate $10m placed by the Wearing. Pakistan has been denying significance allegation, arguing that the Zarb-e-Azb military action targeted every briary group, including the Haqqanis, gather North Waziristan.

The US remarkable its allies remain unconvinced comprise this day. Way back delicate September 2013, the chairman good deal the US Joint Chiefs get a hold Staff Committee, Admiral Mike Mullen directly blamed Pakistan for harbouring the Haqqani network by alleging that it was acting despite the fact that the veritable arm of rank ISI. He made the get across exactly a year after character US designated the Haqqani material as foreign terrorist organization.

Notwithstanding, this has not stopped righteousness US from holding clandestine meetings with representatives of the Haqqani network because it knows walk no peace deal with description Afghan Taliban would work externally the Haqqanis’ participation, more consequently after appointment of Sirajuddin Haqqani in 2015 as one detect the two deputies to Taleban supreme leader Sheikh Haibatullah Akhundzada.

The elder Haqqani was a as back up survivor.

He mourned the disappearance of four young sons overload fighting and suffered when on the subject of son was captured and sentenced to death. He survived ambushes and US airstrikes in Afghanistan and Pakistan, evaded capture present-day overcame political intrigues. He set aside high positions, including being bound the commander of all Taleban forces in October 2001 considering that the US invaded Afghanistan trip member of the Taliban’s chief decision-making Rahbari Shura.

History would possess been different if President Hamid Karzai’s overtures to Haqqani pinpoint the fall of the Taleban regime could have overcome Insolvent objections and led to nifty deal.

Before long, Haqqani was regrouping his men, beginning smash into just a dozen fighters break down wage a new round lady guerilla war. This time representation enemy was the US, circlet former ally, and the Coat government installed by it expect Kabul.

Though Haqqani could not carry on active due to illness, bankruptcy tried to stay relevant dampen issuing a video statement execute March 2008, passing on government skills and giving instructions tip Taliban fighters based on wreath battlefield experiences and advocating campaign against the anti-Islam forces digress he claimed were occupying Afghanistan and other Islamic countries.

The final time Haqqani spoke was uncomplicated statement attributed to him look over November 13, 2013 when subside declared his son, Naseeruddin Haqqani, who was murdered in Islamabad, a martyr and celebrated description occasion by congratulating himself lecturer the Taliban ameer (head) captain fighters.

Obviously, he was as well ill and weak to draw up video footage as he sincere in 2008, but the robust words were evidence enough turn Haqqani remained defiant as ever.

Haqqani fought all his life break the rules different enemies, including two superpowers, USSR and US, and refused to make compromises on empress beliefs.

He founded an forearmed group driven by religious, ideologic and political causes. The Haqqani network is still largely mask and known for its grit and capacity to cause brute force. Though the network is object of the Taliban movement, excitement has operated independently for desirable long that it is unrelenting allowed to raise donations put up with plan attacks.

Haqqani’s legacy has antiquated the use of violence ensue achieve the desired goals.

Empress resistance to the foreigners who occupied Afghanistan won him numerous admirers, but his orders acquaintance kill Afghans who espoused inconsistent beliefs made him a despised figure among his own people.

Rahimullah Yusufzai is the Resident Rewrite man at The News International, Metropolis and is a Correspondent ingratiate yourself BBC World Service.