Since the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in August, there have been mounting reports of infighting within the militant group. Last week, a senior Taliban official became the first to openly criticize the leadership for its repressive policies in Afghanistan.
Several clashes took place after a verbal fight between factions affiliated with Mullah Abdul Manan Niazi, the leader of a dissident faction from the Taliban who recently died, and another affiliated with the local authorities in the western city of Herat.
A Taliban source told WION that Taliban forces had to intervene to break off the clashes and control the situation between the two groups.
The reason behind the violent clash between Taliban forces is not yet clear.
With the United States on track to pull all troops out of Afghanistan by August 31, Afghans and foreign powers are increasingly fearful the country will descend into civil war.
As peace talks with the Afghan government stagnate, the Taliban says it has secured control over approximately 80% of the country, surrounding most major cities.
In the new FRONTLINE report
, correspondent Najibullah Quraishi investigated how Afghanistan’s neighbors particularly Iran, through its proxy militia, the Fatemiyoun are looking to fill the void as America withdraws.
Quraishi spoke to Taliban leaders and former fighters who claimed Iran is mobilizing the Shia Fatemiyoun within Afghanistan. In return, a Sunni Taliban leader told Quraishi he would target and kill Afghanistan’s Shia minority, accusing them of harboring Fatemiyoun fighters.
(Last Updated On: May 17, 2021)
A prayer ceremony for Mullah Abdul Manan Niazi, the deputy head of the Taliban splinter group in the western part of the country, was held on Monday at Herat’s Grand Mosque.
Mullah Manan Niazi died on Saturday in a hospital in Kabul after sustaining serious injuries in a Taliban-on-Taliban skirmish on Tuesday night.
His funeral was held in the Guzara area of Herat on Sunday in the presence of dozens of supporters and gunmen.
During the ceremony, it was announced his son, Hafiz Khalid Niazi would succeed the slain leader.
“I got Niazi’s blood flowing through my veins. We have thousands of (Niazi)s among us,” Hafiz Khalid Niazi said.
(Last Updated On: May 15, 2021)
Deputy head of the Taliban splinter group in the western part of the country, Mullah Abdul Manan Niazi, died in Kabul on Saturday from injuries sustained last week in a skirmish in Herat.
Sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed his death and said he had been transferred to a Kabul hospital on Thursday afternoon due to the severity of his wounds.
Niazi, who was reportedly shot three times in the head, was initially taken to Herat District Hospital after being seriously wounded in an apparent Taliban-on-Taliban attack.
Sources said three insurgents were killed and three others were wounded in the clash.