Jamaat Ansarullah
Jamaat Ansarullah (Tajik: Ҷамоати Ансоруллоҳ, Persian: جماعت انصارالله), also known as the Tajikistani Taliban (Tajik: Толибони Тоҷикистон, Persian: طالبان تاجیکستان, Tehrik-i-Taliban Tajikistan), is a Tajik Islamist militant movement currently based out of Badakhshan, Afghanistan. It is related to al-Qaeda.
| Jamaat Ansarullah | |
|---|---|
| جماعت انصارالله Ҷамоати Ансоруллоҳ | |
Flag used by Jamaat Ansarullah[1] | |
| Leaders | Amriddin Tobarov (2006–2015) Muhammad Shafirov (2015–present) |
| Dates of operation | 2006–present |
| Allegiance | Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (since 2021, denied by Afghan Taliban) |
| Motives | To turn Tajikistan into an Islamic Emirate similar to Afghanistan |
| Headquarters | Badakhshan, Afghanistan |
| Active regions | |
| Ideology | Islamic fundamentalism Deobandi jihadism Wahabism Religious nationalism Revolutionism |
| Size | ~300 |
| Allies | Afghan Taliban (alleged; denied by the Taliban)[2] al-Qaeda (alleged) Turkistan Islamic Party |
| Opponents | Tajikistan National Resistance Front Islamic State - Khorasan Province |
| Battles and wars | Taliban insurgency Islamic State-Taliban conflict Republican insurgency in Afghanistan |
| Designated as a terrorist group by | Tajikistan |
History edit
Jamaat Ansarullah was founded in 2006 under the leadership of Amriddin Tabarov which was composed of Islamist and opposition members who refused to accept the 1997 armistice ending the Tajik Civil War. It gained prominence in 2010 when it perpetrated a suicide bombing in the city Khujand, Tajikistan targeting a police station. Three were killed and 25 were wounded. The group was banned by the Tajik government in 2012.
In 2015, the group's founder was killed by the Afghan National Security Forces. He would be succeeded by the son of one of his closest associates, Muhammad Shafirov, who is better known as Mahdi Arsalon.
During the 2021 summer offensive, the Afghan Taliban gave the Tajiki Taliban, and by extension Arsalon, security control over five districts in northern Badakhshan province.[3]
In September 2021, Arsalon was reportedly planning to invade Tajikistan and consulted the Taliban Islamic Movement for operational guidance.[4]
Manpower and recruitment edit
Much of them are the children and relatives of the original generation of fighters. Other reports indicate it has less than 100 fighters.[4]
Ansarullah also recruits from Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Central Asia, and Russia. The individual who perpetrated the 2010 suicide bombing of a police station in Khujand was reported to have been trained in an al-Qaeda training camp.[4]
Actions edit
The Tajik Taliban has operated out of northern Afghanistan since its founding receiving support from the Taliban and Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan. The group currently serves as border guards in northern Badakhshan Province, being responsible for handling security by the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan for Kuf Ab, Khwahan, Maimay, Nusay, and Shekay. They also control Jawand and Ab Kamari in Badghis Province.
After building the watch tower, Tajikistan began taking the group seriously. The group spray painted "Mehdi Arsalon" in Badakhshan, Afghanistan, in a large font, which was visible from Tajikistan's autonomous Gorno-Badakhshan region. Tajikistani Taliban members and supporters, all of which are Tajik citizens, walked demonstratively along the Afghan side of the Panj River that separates Afghanistan and Tajikistan. It was reported that they came almost every day to their watch tower and yell threats with a loudspeaker insulting the Tajikistani authorities. Tensions were already high with the Afghan Taliban and Tajikistan due to Tajikistan supporting the Northern Alliance and the NRF, and Tajikistani authorities stated that the Taliban allowing the group to stay active and threaten Tajikistan increases distrust and makes them feel threatened, although the Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said in a speech that no threats will be made from Afghanistan to any neighboring countries, and that it was a case of a warlord abusing his power, and he called on Tajik government to cooperate with them to tackle the issue.[5]
In 2021 and 2022 there were no significant activities of the group but however in 2023 there was a rise of Jamaat Ansarullah propaganda and activities. On 6 September 2023, at least three Jamaat Ansarullah members were killed by Tajikistani authorities. The three men were recruited and trained in Afghanistan.
Aims and objectives edit
The group aims to overthrow the current Tajik government and replace it with an Islamic state governed by Sharia law. In 2011, it issued a series of videos stating that Muslims who observed Salah and fasted but still supported democracy were infidels, and that God is killing unbelievers through them, therefore, they are blessed.[6]
Ideology edit
The organisation along with other jihadist groups such as the Afghan Taliban, Pakistani Taliban, Al-Qaeda, Ansar al-Islam in Kurdistan, and the Turkistan Islamic Party had similar motivations and goals. The organisation aims to spread Islamic extremism to enforce Afghan Taliban-style fundamentalist Islam and Sharia law in Tajikistan and turn Tajikistan into an Islamic Emirate similar to Afghanistan.[7]
References edit
- ^ Sweet, Julia (2022). "Jamaat Ansarullah (JA) Commander, Mahdi Arsalan, Ready To Invade the Shamsiddin Shokhin District (Shuroabad) in Khatlon region of Tajikistan - 06 October 2021". TRAC. Retrieved 2023-02-14.
- ^ "طالبان تاجیکستان اعلام موجودیت کرد! - خبرآنلاین". www.khabaronline.ir.
- ^ Ahmadi, Mumin; Yusufi, Mullorajab; Fazliddin, Nigorai (2021-07-27). "Exclusive: Taliban Puts Tajik Militants Partially In Charge Of Afghanistan's Northern Border". RadioFreeEurope. Retrieved 2022-08-23.
- ^ a b c Roggio, Bill; Tobin, Andrew (2022-05-25). "Tajik terrorist serves as Taliban commander in northern Afghanistan". FDD's Long War Journal. Retrieved 2022-08-23.
- ^ Ahmadi, Mumin; Tolibov, Sirojiddin; Fazliddin, Nigorai (2022-07-12). "Tajikistan Concerned By Provocative Taliban Watchtower On Border". RadioFreeEurope. Retrieved 2022-08-04.
- ^ Rotar, Igor (2012-09-12). "Islamic Extremist Group Jamaat Ansarullah Overcomes Tajikistan's Inter-Tribal Conflicts". Eurasia Daily Monitor. 9 (174) – via Jamestown foundation.
- ^ Hussain, Zahid (2022). Frontline Afghanistan and Tajikistan: The Struggle with Militant Islam. Columbia University Press. p. 52. ISBN 978-0-231-14224-3.
The pro-Taliban Tajik jihadist group emerged in 2022 ... Afghanistan had become home to islamist militant groups ... among them were al-Qaeda,Haqqani,Afghan taliban to Tajikistani Taliban. All these paramilitary groups, originally from the same source, had similar motivations and goals.