David Tate
05-07-2006, 12:51 PM
Here's a couple of pictures from the day of the attack. I took these just 100m from where Khan was standing as he directed his armor south toward Shindand. As far as I know, only myself and Jonas Dovydenas
( http://www.seqair.com/Hangar/Dovydenas/Dovydenas.html ) were the only western journos present on the day Ismail Khan's end began.
Prague, 16 August 2004 (RFE/RL) -- Afghan Defense Ministry spokesman Zaher Azimi says fighting in recent days in Herat Province began with a coordinated attack against Governor Ismail Khan's militia by several rival militia groups in western Afghanistan.
"Herat was attacked from three sides -- [from the north, the south, and the east] -- and according to the latest information received by the Ministry of Defense, the casualties include 22 Afghans killed," Azimi said.
Afghan Transitional Administration Chairman Hamid Karzai is supporting Ismail Khan in the dispute. Karzai says Khan is the legal governor of the province and that the attacks against him represent an attack on the Afghan state. \
Karzai also says the deployment of 1,500 troops from the Afghan National Army and the National Police will allow the central government to take strong measures to protect itself against further fighting.
One group engaged in the fighting is an outlawed Pashtun militia force led by Commander Amanullah Khan -- a long-time rival of Ismail Khan whose forces control the Shindand District to the south of Herat city.
In an interview with RFE/RL's Afghan Service, Amanullah Khan denied responsibility for the fighting. He admitted taking part in a coordinated attack against Ismail Khan's forces. But he says his militia joined the attack because of demands by Ismail Khan's spokesman, Nasir Alevi, to surrender territory that his militia controls.
"We can't accept this demand of Mr. Alevi that we should leave Shindand district. We don't want war and fighting. We never wanted war. If we are blamed for starting a war, I suggest that we both go to the courts and the court should decide who is responsible. If we go to the court, I think the problem in Herat will be solved," Amanullah Khan said.
Amanullah Khan says the root cause of the fighting is widespread dissatisfaction with Ismail Khan over alleged human rights abuses by his mostly ethnic Tajik militia.
"[Ismail Khan] doesn't give us our rights here. He insults and terrorizes people and [his militia] has even killed elderly citizens. The people of all five [western Afghan] provinces -- Nimruz, Farah, Baghdis, Ghowr, and Herat -- all know about this," Amanullah Khan said.
Amanullah Khan told RFE/RL that the attack on 14 August that allowed his militia to seize an air base to the south of Herat was coordinated with other militia forces to the north and east of Herat whose commanders also oppose Ismail Khan.
The history of Ismail Khan's rivalry with Amanullah Khan and other warlords in western Afghanistan goes back years. Residents of the lawless rural areas around Herat have long complained about their land and property being seized by various roving militia groups that battle each other in the region.
Two years ago, during the Afghan Emergency Loya Jirga that approved Karzai as Transitional Administration chairman, governors of nearby provinces repeatedly complained about transit tariffs being imposed by Ismail Khan on imports coming from Iran.
The main highway link between Iran and Afghanistan passes directly through Herat and the relative prosperity in the city is largely attributed to the duties that Ismail Khan imposes on trucks that carry Iranian goods on to Kandahar and Kabul. Karzai has accused Ismail Khan of failing to forward those tariffs to the central government in Kabul.
( http://www.seqair.com/Hangar/Dovydenas/Dovydenas.html ) were the only western journos present on the day Ismail Khan's end began.
Prague, 16 August 2004 (RFE/RL) -- Afghan Defense Ministry spokesman Zaher Azimi says fighting in recent days in Herat Province began with a coordinated attack against Governor Ismail Khan's militia by several rival militia groups in western Afghanistan.
"Herat was attacked from three sides -- [from the north, the south, and the east] -- and according to the latest information received by the Ministry of Defense, the casualties include 22 Afghans killed," Azimi said.
Afghan Transitional Administration Chairman Hamid Karzai is supporting Ismail Khan in the dispute. Karzai says Khan is the legal governor of the province and that the attacks against him represent an attack on the Afghan state. \
Karzai also says the deployment of 1,500 troops from the Afghan National Army and the National Police will allow the central government to take strong measures to protect itself against further fighting.
One group engaged in the fighting is an outlawed Pashtun militia force led by Commander Amanullah Khan -- a long-time rival of Ismail Khan whose forces control the Shindand District to the south of Herat city.
In an interview with RFE/RL's Afghan Service, Amanullah Khan denied responsibility for the fighting. He admitted taking part in a coordinated attack against Ismail Khan's forces. But he says his militia joined the attack because of demands by Ismail Khan's spokesman, Nasir Alevi, to surrender territory that his militia controls.
"We can't accept this demand of Mr. Alevi that we should leave Shindand district. We don't want war and fighting. We never wanted war. If we are blamed for starting a war, I suggest that we both go to the courts and the court should decide who is responsible. If we go to the court, I think the problem in Herat will be solved," Amanullah Khan said.
Amanullah Khan says the root cause of the fighting is widespread dissatisfaction with Ismail Khan over alleged human rights abuses by his mostly ethnic Tajik militia.
"[Ismail Khan] doesn't give us our rights here. He insults and terrorizes people and [his militia] has even killed elderly citizens. The people of all five [western Afghan] provinces -- Nimruz, Farah, Baghdis, Ghowr, and Herat -- all know about this," Amanullah Khan said.
Amanullah Khan told RFE/RL that the attack on 14 August that allowed his militia to seize an air base to the south of Herat was coordinated with other militia forces to the north and east of Herat whose commanders also oppose Ismail Khan.
The history of Ismail Khan's rivalry with Amanullah Khan and other warlords in western Afghanistan goes back years. Residents of the lawless rural areas around Herat have long complained about their land and property being seized by various roving militia groups that battle each other in the region.
Two years ago, during the Afghan Emergency Loya Jirga that approved Karzai as Transitional Administration chairman, governors of nearby provinces repeatedly complained about transit tariffs being imposed by Ismail Khan on imports coming from Iran.
The main highway link between Iran and Afghanistan passes directly through Herat and the relative prosperity in the city is largely attributed to the duties that Ismail Khan imposes on trucks that carry Iranian goods on to Kandahar and Kabul. Karzai has accused Ismail Khan of failing to forward those tariffs to the central government in Kabul.