RASC News Agency: Ismail Khan, a leading anti-Taliban figure and former governor of Herat under the previous Afghanistan government, has called for a nationwide armed uprising against the Taliban. In a speech marking the third anniversary of the Republic’s collapse, this veteran jihadist leader advocated for a broad-based armed resistance against the Taliban, describing the group as reactionary, extremist, and deeply fanatical. He emphasized the necessity of standing firm against them until they yield to the will of the Afghanistani people.
Speaking as the current chairman of the High Council of Resistance for the Salvation of Afghanistan in an online session with other council leaders, Ismail Khan highlighted the importance of uniting all anti-Taliban forces under a single, cohesive strategy. He underscored that the armed resistance in northern and western Afghanistan must extend nationwide, with all opposition groups aligning under a unified agenda. He further asserted that with widespread consensus and a unified uprising against the Taliban, the group’s downfall is inevitable.
Ismail Khan compared the Doha Agreement to the Treaty of Gandomak, suggesting that Afghanistan was handed over to the Taliban as part of an international conspiracy. Captured by the Taliban in early August 2021 during the defense of Herat, Ismail Khan relocated to Iran after a brief stay in Herat and has since resided in Mashhad. As a prominent jihadist leader, Ismail Khan commanded the western front of Afghanistan during the jihad era.
His appeal comes as the Resistance Front, led by Ahmad Massoud, and the Freedom Front have been actively opposing the Taliban for the past three years. These fronts have conducted covert operations against the Taliban across various regions, with the Resistance Front recently claiming an active presence in 17 provinces.
