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What does the return of Gulbuddin Hekmatyar mean for Afghanistan?

Signing of Peace Accord with HIA

Afghanistan signed a landmark peace deal with the Islamic Party known as Hezb-i-Islami Afghanistan, allowing for the groups leader, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, to return to his country. Hekmatyar returned to the capital of Afghanistan in early May of this year after two decades in hiding.[1] He called for peace and reconciliation as he was welcomed by the Afghan government and many other parties in the country.

The United Nations lifted sanctions against Hekmatyar, subsequent to a decision made by the UN Security Council to remove Hekmatyar from the UN terrorist blacklist. This decision was made following a peace deal which was signed between the Afghan government and Hekmatyars party. A formal request by the Afghan government was made to remove Hekmatyars name from the sanctions list.[2] The UN Security Council stated in a Press Release that it had lifted a freeze which was placed on Hekmatyars assets, a travel ban and an arms embargo, all of which no longer apply to him.[3]

The 25-point pact provides Hekmatyar and his members with amnesty and grants them full political rights. It also recognises the Hezb-i-Islami organisation as a political party, and allows for the release of some of its prisoners. As part of the deal, he and his party agreed to accept the constitution, abandon fighting and to encourage others to do the same.[4]

Hekmatyar also signed the pact last year via a video link which was played at a ceremony in the presidential palace. Hekmatyar made a speech from an undisclosed location and made some remarks on the accord and the future of Afghanistan. The ceremony was broadcasted live on television and attended by many politicians from different political parties.[5]

Hekmatyar opened his speech by reciting a verse from the Qurn to validate and endorse the peace agreement, [6]

And if they incline to peace, then incline to it [also] and rely upon Allh. Indeed, it is He who is the Hearing, the Knowing. [8:61]

He further stated,

I call on all sides to support this peace deal and I call on the opposition parties of the government to join the peace process and pursue their goals through peaceful means,

We hope that the day comes when foreign interference has ended, foreign troops have departed fully from Afghanistan, and peace has been achieved.[6]

As soon as sanctions against Hekmatyar were lifted, he returned to his country after more than 20 years in exile. He appeared in public for the first time in the eastern province of Afghanistan, Laghman and later travelled to Jalalabad. He then travelled to the capital with tight security, in a large armed convoy that was guarded by an army helicopter.

Who is Hekmatyar/HIA?

Hekmatyar is well-known as one of the most prominent and influential leaders against the Soviet forces in the 80s. He is an Afghan war veteran and politician who also shortly served as the Prime Minister of the country in the 90s. His rebel group is considered as one of the most successful in defeating the soviet army and the second largest rebel group in the country.[7]

He is the founder and current leader of the political party Hezb-i-Islami, whom are ideologically influenced by the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood and Syed Abul Ala Maududis Jamaat-e-Islami.[8] His party, Hezb-i-Islami, which literally translates to Islamic Party, is an Islamic organisation that was set up by him and his associates in the year 1975. It was a group which stood firmly against the Communist Government of Afghanistan and then a few years later against the Governments close ally, the Soviet Union.

Hekmatyar has also authored as many as 118 books ranging from linguistics to Pashto grammar and comparative religion. He has written several books on Islm and has translated the Holy Qurn and Hadith books.[9] At a book launch, Qutbuddin Helal said that Hekmatyar wrote his books whilst continuously travelling and moving from one area to another.[10]

Returning Comments

Hekmatyar is seeking peace and considering a political solution to the turmoil in the country. Ever since his return he has spoken about establishing and working on a think-tank to help bring about a solution to the chaos in the country. Afghanistan is a mountainous and landlocked country located within South Asia and Central Asia. Although situated in Asia, in the present world it can also be considered in the Middle East according to theories of regionalisation. This is because Afghanistan is associated with the Middle East region as a result of religious and political similarities although being different in culture and language. Currently, the countrys infrastructure and economy is in ruins due to on-going severe instability and war, which has consequently resulted in the deaths of uncountable people with countless being forced to become refugees.

In his first public speeches Hekmatyar called on other groups such as the Taliban to lay down their weapons and to also come to the negotiation table. He said,

Come for Gods sake, come and give up fighting which the victims of this war are Afghans,

I invite you to join the peace caravan and stop the pointless, meaningless and unholy warSet your goals, and I will be with you on your good goals.[11]

He made further remarks such as,

I have come for brotherhood and unity, and I extend my hand to everyone. You can count on us. We are ready.

I want a free, proud, independent and Islamic Afghanistan,[12]

Ashraf Ghani, the President of Afghanistan, who signed the peace agreement and welcomed Hekmatyar at the ceremony in the presidential palace thanked him for,heeding the peace call. [13]

What does this mean for the future of Afghanistan?

Hekmatyar made another appearance at Kabuls main football stadium, Ghazi stadium. Thousands of supporters were present on this occasion which clearly demonstrated his continued support and influence throughout the country. He addressed the thousands of supporters who queued for hours and waited eagerly for Hekmatyar to address them on the peace agreement.

Referring to the current structure of the government which he has repeatedly criticised, he stated

This division of power is not Gods will, nor is it based on the constitution,

This is John Kerrys division. Do not look upon this division as sacred. [14]

Hekmatyar has also stated that,

Turkeys constitutional changes were inspired by the constitution I wrote. We also want that to replace the current Afghan constitution.

The peace deal now opens a new chapter for Hekmatyar as well as the future of Afghanistan. Hekmatyar aims to unite the different factions and movements in the country and to encourage them to come to the negotiating table.

Hekmatyar said at a Press Conference this month that all the political parties in the country should stand together to help find a solution to the ongoing problems. He also added that it was time for neighbouring countries, namely Iran and Pakistan, to also play their part in ensuring peace in Afghanistan.

In reference to some recent remarks made by the Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Hekmatyar stated that,

No one has got the right to instruct us from outside or interfere in our affairs.[15]

With the rapidly changing political climate in Afghanistan, for many Afghans the return of Hekmatyar is a sign of hope. Whether his return will bring about change only time will tell.

Source: http://www.islam21c.com

Notes:

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Will there be peace for Afghanistan? - Islam21c

While the meetings could be delayed or rescheduled, the officials told CNN that the ongoing review appears to be drawing to a close.

But there are major challenges ahead, and Defense Secretary James Mattis has been framing the internal discussions inside the administration as a "South Asia strategy." It encompasses a way ahead in Afghanistan, including the possibility of sending more troops, but also a look at new ideas for dealing with Pakistan, which the US believes is supporting or turning a blind eye to a number of terror groups operating inside the country.

One idea being discussed is what one senior administration official directly familiar with the ongoing discussions official called a "stick" approach to Pakistan rather than a "carrot." It could include cutting US assistance to Pakistan and a bolstering of security relationships with India, Pakistan's longtime adversary.

Officials also say a discussion has opened up about whether there are new military as well as non-military options for defeating ISIS globally, including in enclaves in Afghanistan.

It is not clear if the Trump Administration still plans to unveil an entirely new ISIS strategy as promised during the campaign or if it will continue to address individual ISIS issues as they arise in military, diplomatic, law enforcement and financial sectors.

But if decisions are finalized at the series of meetings next week, officials say it is expected that the White House will take the lead making any announcements.

A key element of the discussions is how to proceed in Afghanistan and whether to add additional US troops to the more than 8,000 already there.

Discussion has circulated inside the Pentagon for months about the need to add more trainers and advisers. But two officials says it's possible that the US might decide not to add more troops at this time because there are voices within the administration that feel extra troops won't improve the ability of Afghan forces to challenge the Taliban and fight ISIS.

Afghan forces still have to demonstrate they are powerful enough to make the Taliban feel they are at risk and have no choice but to engage in negotiations with the Afghan government.

Mattis has essentially been given authority to determine the number of troops needed. But he would need the President's signoff if the strategy were to radically change and a large number of troops were added, or if he decided not to add any, officials say.

Mattis is under time pressure to deliver an Afghan strategy to Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz), Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. At a hearing last month, Mattis told McCain "We are not winning in Afghanistan right now. And we will correct this as soon as possible."

Speaking to reporters at the Pentagon on Friday, Mattis said a decision on the new strategy would come around "mid-July" or "somewhere around there. We are driven by the maturity of the discussion and where we're at, we are not going to meet some time-line if we are not ready but we are pretty close."

While most administration officials have refused to publicly confirm details, Sebastian Gorka, a deputy assistant to the President, in an interview with CNN's Jake Tapper discussed the idea of using Erik Prince, the controversial former head of the now disbanded Blackwater company to supply contractors for a variety of unspecified missions in Afghanistan.

"If you look at Eric Prince's track record, it's not about billing the government, it's about the opposite, it's about saving the US taxpayer money," Gorka said. While the US and Afghanistan agree there is a need for additional trainers and advisers to improve the capability of Afghan security forces, it's not clear Mattis supports the idea of using contractors. When asked about the idea this week the secretary replied: "I'm still putting together my ideas on that."

Gorka strongly defended Prince, whose former company Blackwater was criticized for how it dealt with civilians in Iraq. Several former employees were convicted in a 2007 incident in Baghdad in which civilians were shot and killed.

"This is a former operator, this is a man who hires former operators," Gorka said of Prince. "This is a cost-cutting venture, we open the door here at the White House to outside ideas."

But defense officials have long noted that in some operations contractors are not less expensive than active duty military members, who are paid considerably less.

Gorka also called US Afghanistan policy over the last 16 years "disastrous," saying the policies were made by people "who've never worn a uniform."

While Afghan policy in the Bush and Trump administration did include involvement from civilian officials, both presidents also strongly relied on the advice of senior military officers including Afghanistan commanders Gen. David Petraeus and Gen. Stanley McChrystal, as well as chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff including Adm. Michael Mullen and Gen. Martin Dempsey.

Read more from the original source:
Mattis on new Afghanistan strategy: 'We are pretty close' - CNN

The "Emir" of ISIS-K was killed "in a strike on the group's headquarters in Kunar Province, July 11," Chief Pentagon spokesperson Dana White said in a statement.

US Navy Captain Bill Salvin, spokesman for US Forces Afghanistan provided additional detail of how Abu Sayed was killed.Salvin said he was killed in an airstrike by a US drone.The initial Pentagon statement described Sayed being killed in a "raid".

Secretary of Defense James Mattis told reporters on Friday that the death of a leader likeSayed"sets them back for a day a week, a month, it's about who it is and what kind of people are below them. It is obviously a victory on our side in terms of setting them back, it's the right direction."

Gen. John Nicholson, Commander, US Forces Afghanistan said in a statement, "This operation is another success in our campaign to defeat ISIS-K in Afghanistan in 2017. Abu Sayed is the third ISIS-K emir we have killed in the last year and we will continue until they are annihilated. There is no safe haven for ISIS-K in Afghanistan."

Hafiz Sayed Khan was killed in July 2016 and another emir Abdul Hasib was killed during a joint US-Afghan commando raid in April.

April's raid also resulted in the deaths of several other high ranking leaders of ISIS-K, the terror group's regional branch, and 35 ISIS fighters. Two American soldiers died in the attack, perhaps from friendly fire, military officials said at the time.

The presence of Sayed in Kunar is noteworthy, the other two leaders were killed in neighboring Nangarhar province the terror organization's traditional powerbase.

Afghan and US forces launched a counter ISIS-K offensive in early March 2017 and Gen. John Nicholson, the commander of US and NATO troops in Afghanistan, has pledged to drive the terror group out of Afghanistan by the end of 2017.

Unlike elsewhere in Afghanistan where US troops primarily serve a training and supporting role, US special operations forces have been directly engaged in the offensive against ISIS in Afghanistan, conducting raids and strikes in the country's eastern provinces.

See the article here:
US raid killed leader of ISIS in Afghanistan - CNNPolitics.com

Sesame Street's new Afghan character, a 4-year-old Afghan boy puppet named Zeerak, performs during the taping for the sixth season of the Afghan version of Sesame Street, called Baghch-e-Simsim, in Kabul, Afghanistan. Rahmat GulAP

(KABUL, Afghanistan) Last year, Afghanistan's version of "Sesame Street" introduced a little girl character aimed at inspiring girls in the deeply conservative Muslim nation. Now a new muppet is joining the cast: her brother, who will show boys the importance of respecting women.

Zeerak, whose name means "Smart" in Afghanistan's two official languages, is a 4-year-old boy who enjoys studying and learning. He joins 6-year-old sister Zari, whose name means "Shimmering," on Afghanistan's version of the show, "Baghch-e-SimSim," or "Sesame Garden."

Both muppets wear traditional Afghan clothing the baggy trousers and long embroidered shirt known as a shalwar kameez for him and colorful native dresses and a cream-colored hijab, or headscarf, for her. They join the rest of "Sesame Street's" multi-cultural line-up, which includes muppets specially created for local versions of the program in Bangladesh, Egypt and India.

Massood Sanjer, the head of TOLO TV, which broadcasts the program in Afghanistan, said that after the overwhelmingly positive response to Zari from both parents and children, the goal was to create a boy character to emphasize the importance of gender equality and education in a country where the vast majority of girls don't go to school and the literacy rate for women is among the lowest in the world.

"In a male-dominant country like Afghanistan, I think you have to do some lessons for the males to respect the females. So by bringing a male character to the show who respects a female character, you teach the Afghan men that you have to respect your sister the same way as you do your brother," Sanjer said.

In keeping with that goal, Zeerak proclaimed in a recent episode of the program, "I love Zari so much and as much as I love Zari, I love her friends too."

It's an important message broadcast on a medium with a nationwide reach: While television in Afghanistan is largely restricted to urban areas, "Sesame Street" is also broadcast on radio in both official languages, Pashtun and Dari, expanding its audience to most of the country.

Both Zari and Zeerak were created in New York and their costumes incorporate fabrics and designs from all of Afghanistan's major ethnic groups to promote inclusiveness in a society racked by decades of conflict.

Afghanistan has been at war for almost 40 years, since the 1979 Soviet invasion and the subsequent mujahedeen war that lasted a decade. That was followed by a devastating civil war in which warlords drew lines based on ethnicity and killed tens of thousands of people in Kabul alone.

The Taliban took over in 1996, and their five-year rule was one of brutal extremism in which they banned women from work and girls from going to school, confining them to their homes. The radical Taliban regime was forced from power by the 2001 U.S. invasion that ushered in a democratic experiment and billions of dollars in international aid to help rebuild the country.

Ahmad Arubi, the producer of the local version of "Sesame Street," said he is hopeful that the new characters will eventually have a wider audience outside of Afghanistan.

"Possibly, in the coming years other Muslim countries, which are running this program, might use our characters, such as Zeerak and Zari. They might use our scripts, translate them in their own languages and use them in their countries," he said.

Read the original:
Muppet Promotes Respect for Women in Male-Dominant Afghanistan - TIME

U.S. troops killed the head of ISISs Afghanistan branch, known as Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K), during a June 11 airstrike on the groups headquarters in the Kunar province, the Pentagon announced Friday. Abu Sayed took over as leader of the group after his predecessor, Abdul Hasib, was killed by Afghan and U.S. forces during a joint raid in April. Before Hasib, ISIS-K was run by Hafiz Sayed Khan, who died in a drone strike in late July 2016. In a statement, Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White said Tuesdays strike had also killed other ISIS-K members and will significantly disrupt the terror groups plans to expand its presence in Afghanistan.

Sayeds death marks a significant advancement in the U.S. effort to drive ISIS out of Afghanistan by the end of this year. While ISIS is predominately based in Iraq and Syria, the militant group extended its operations to Afghanistan in 2015. For now, ISIS retains limited territory in Afghanistan, with major strongholds in Kunar and the eastern province of Nangarhar. While the Pentagon estimated that around 2,500 ISIS fighters were stationed in Afghanistan in 2015, they have since reported that ISIS-K is now down to less than 1,000 militants. In addition to battling U.S. and Afghan forces, ISIS-K has also clashed with the Taliban, which maintains a much larger presence in the nation.

In June, an anonymous U.S. administration official told the Associated Press that the Pentagon was planning to send an additional 4,000 troops into Afghanistan to train and advise Afghan forces, who many argue have reached a stalemate in their operations against the Taliban. There are currently around 8,500 U.S. troops deployed in Afghanistan, who are divided between fighting against the Taliban and conducting counterterrorism missions against al-Qaeda and ISIS. The AP reports that the additional troops would be engaged in both operations.

In June, U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis told Congress that we are not winning in Afghanistan right now, adding that he plans to correct this as soon as possible. The comments followed criticism from Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain, who said Mattis lacked a concrete strategy for victory. The death of Abu Sayed comes at a critical time in the war in Afghanistanespecially considering that battles against ISIS have diverted resources away from Taliban-focused operations.

It is obviously a victory on our side in terms of setting [ISIS-K] back. Its the right direction, Mattis told reporters on Friday, though he struggled to say how long the group would be thrown off by the loss of their leader. Mattis speculated that a death like Sayeds would place ISIS-K at a disadvantage for a day, a week, a month, depending on what kind of people are below [him]. On the same day, John Nicholson, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, said the deaths of three ISIS-K leaders in a single year emphasized that there is no safe haven for ISIS-K in Afghanistan."

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Pentagon Says ISIS Leader in Afghanistan Is Dead - The Atlantic