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Home , Abu Hamza Rabia, Akhund, Emirate of Afghanistan, Istishhad, Mujahideen, Northern Alliance

February 2008 . Vol 1 . Issue 3

Return of the Arabs: their positions with mortars, RPGs, Valley of eastern . In this machine guns and AK-47s. valley they fought with greater effect Al-Qa`ida’s Current against U.S. troops in 2002’s Operation Military Role in the While many media savvy Arab Anaconda, an asymmetric guerrilla Afghan volunteers earned a reputation as fight that more closely resembled the “gucci jihadists” during the Soviet mujahidin’s skirmishes with Soviet period, some did move on to become heliborne troops in the 1980s. By Brian Glyn Williams seasoned fighters. In the late 1990s, for example, Bin Ladin helped make the Following the mixed success of Shah- in the pashtun tribal belt, from Arab jihadist dream of fielding a bona i-Kot, the remaining Arab fighters the JDAM-blasted ruins of Usama bin fide Arab jund (army) come true when retreated over the border into Ladin’s bombed out terrorist camp he formed the 055 International Brigade where they were given sanctuary by at Darunta near to the “red to fight against the . major leaders such as Jalaladin zone” between the volatile provinces Based in Rishikor, a former Communist Haqqani, who had fought alongside of and Paktia, local Afghans are base just outside , this foreign Arabs in the Khost area during the increasingly talking in concerned tones legion—which was often known as the 1980s. Up and coming middle-ranked about the return of the “Araban” or Ansars (Companions)—played a key role Taliban commanders, such as Baitullah “Ikhwanis,” as Arab fighters are known in the Taliban’s defense of Kabul against Mehsud and Nek , also in Pashtu.1 Wealthy al-Qa`ida financiers Northern Alliance leader provided the Arabs and Islamic are said to be lurking in the distant Massoud, and in the Taliban conquests Movement of jihadists with mountains distributing large sums of Northern Alliance General Rashid sanctuary in the Waziri tribal lands of of cash to on the other Dostum’s capital at Mazar-i- and North and South . Another side of the Pakistani border, hardened Massoud’s capital of . Pakistani tribal agency to the north, Arab fighters from are rumored to Bajaur, served as the third fallback area be training in the previously In addition to their activities as for retreating Arab fighters. Ominously, taboo tactic of suicide bombing and terrorists who attack “soft” civilian all three border agencies previously had al-Qa`ida leaders are reported to have targets, as seen in the case of the a history of serving as rear area staging an increasingly strong voice in the infamous Hamburg (cell) that grounds for Arab and Afghan mujahidin Taliban shuras (councils) in Waziristan attacked the U.S. mainland on 9/11, al- during the 1980s and they would and Quetta. If the rumors are true, it Qa`ida also had a fighting wing. This soon serve that role again. seems that al-Qa`ida is putting renewed branch was engaged in frontal combat, emphasis on galvanizing military often driving old Soviet-era tanks, Building a “Pyre for the Americans” resistance in a land that has tremendous utilizing light artillery and acting as While many in the West thought al- symbolism in jihadist circles as the shock troops for the Taliban in their Qa`ida was nearly finished in the original theater of action for the modern struggles with the Northern Alliance. aftermath of the toppling of the Taliban, jihad movement. Thousands of Arabs in Afghanistan the coalition had a difficult time killing actually fought under al-Qa`ida’s al- or capturing high-value targets such The following is a preliminary effort Raya (flag) in frontal combat from 1997- as Bin Ladin, Ayman al-Zawahiri to sift through these vague rumors and 2001. Arab fighters who were trained (who narrowly missed being killed reports in order to gain a clear picture in these camps bolstered the Taliban by a Hellfire missile strike in 2006) of al-Qa`ida’s actual role in a Taliban regime when it decided to confront the and a new generation of leaders who guerrilla war that has, to all outward U.S.-led coalition in the fall of 2001. were operating in the Pashtun tribal appearances, morphed into an Iraqi- In light of their well-known fervor, areas, such as charismatic commander style terrorist insurgency. it is not surprising that Arab fighters Abu Yahya al-Libi.2 The latter leader tenaciously held their positions in seemed to be most successful in running Precursors: Al-Qa`ida’s Field Army Taloqan, , Kabul and a media operation with al-Sahab In 1987, Usama bin Ladin proudly when the indigenous Taliban proved Media Production (The Clouds, which proclaimed that the somnolent Arab less inclined to fight to the death. refers to the cloud covered mountains youth living under the munafiq (apostate) of Afghanistan). It was this media governments of the Middle East could Yet, the technologically advanced operation that began to provide a unique come to his Ma`sada al- (Lion’s Americans were not the Soviets, and window into al-Qa`ida’s re-calibrated Den of the Companions, a tunnel base key al-Qa`ida military leaders Juma military operations in Afghanistan. built in the mountains of Namangani (the military head of the 055 border province of Paktia) to fight International Brigade) and Muhammad While the media-savvy al-Qa`ida in Iraq for their honor and faith against the `Atif (al-Qa`ida’s military leader) leader Abu Mus`ab al-Zarqawi stole the “atheist .” By all accounts, Bin were killed by precision-guided U.S. limelight from 2003-2005, by 2005 al- Ladin and his “Ansars” subsequently munitions in November 2001. With the Libi’s media service began to compete fought ferociously against Soviet Arab state-within-a-state in the Taliban with Iraqi insurgent webpages. Al-Libi Spetsnaz (Special Forces), defending Emirate of Afghanistan collapsing around them by December 2001, the 2 Although in December 2005 a senior operational plan- 1 Personal interviews, Pashtun tribal belt, April-May Arab Ansars withdrew from Kabul and ner, Abu Hamza Rabia, was killed in a Predator attack in 2007. Kandahar to the remote Shah-i-Kot North Waziristan. February 2008 . Vol 1 . Issue 3 began by posting a series of online videos 2007, they also featured images of Arab reports, al-Qa`ida is also running as that showed small numbers of Arabs fighters ambushing Pakistani soldiers many as 29 training camps in the region, carrying out attacks on “Christian kafirs in the mountains of Waziristan, and the albeit less elaborate than those found in (infidels) and puppet munafiq (apostate) Pakistani authorities began to suspect Afghanistan in the 1990s. Afghan army troops.” These included that Arabs were bolstering the Taliban such videos as “Pyre for the Americans insurgency in their country.7 The Arabs have also played a key role in in Afghanistan” and “The Winds of “al-Qa`idifying” the Paradise.”3 As in the previous jihad against the and importing the horror tactics of Soviets, the Arab fighters seemed much the Iraqi conflict to Afghanistan. Key Al-Libi’s propaganda films featured more concerned about photographing Taliban leaders, such as the recently combat footage of Arabs carrying out and filming themselves than their slain , have claimed suicide bombings against U.S. soldiers, simple Afghan hosts, and this appears that they learned suicide bombing firing mortars at U.S. Forward Operating to be part of a calculated effort to recruit techniques from their Arab “brothers.”10 Bases (including one sequence that young men for the jihad in Afghanistan Al-Qa`ida has also distributed tutorial shows Arabs firing shells with the name and Pakistan. By 2007, jihadist jihadist videos throughout the Pashtun Zarqawi painted on them), using IEDs websites from to regions that give instructions on how to against U.S. troops and ambushing U.S. to the Arab world began to feature build car bombs, IEDs and inspirational soldiers.4 According to the sub- recruitment ads calling on the “Lions “snuff film” images of U.S. troops being headings, these videos were filmed in of ” to come fight in Afghanistan. killed in Iraq. The first wave of suicide a series of Pashtun border provinces It appears that many heeded the call.8 bombings in Afghanistan seems to in Afghanistan ranging from Kunar This was especially true after the Anbar have been carried out by Arabs, and it Province in the north to Uruzgan and Awakening of anti-al-Qa`ida tribal appears clear that it was al-Qa`ida— Zabul in the south.5 In other words, leaders and General ’ which has long had an emphasis on these were the very border provinces “surge strategy” made Iraq less (martyrdom) operations— where the first generation of Arab hospitable for foreign volunteers. that taught the local Taliban this Afghan volunteers (many of whom had alien tactic. Arabs such as Abu Yahya married local women, learned Pashtu Al-Qa`ida Adds an Edge to Taliban Insurgency al-Libi have also been influential in and settled in the region) had fought in Since 2002, one of al-Qa`ida’s main roles encouraging the technophobic Taliban the 1980s. has been diverting wealth from the Arab fundamentalists to create “Islamic Gulf States to funding the struggling Emirate of Afghanistan” online videos By 2006, a more developed al-Sahab Taliban. One recently killed Saudi of Zarqawi style beheadings, IED began to feature jihad anasheed (songs), shaykh named Asadullah, for example, attacks and suicide bombings. video montage epitaphs for dozens of was described as “the moneybags in the slain Turkish and Arab from entire tribal belt.” Men like Asadullah Furthermore, it appears that Arab Kuwait, Syria, and , have paid bounties for Taliban attacks fighters have actively partaken in and images of young Arabs wearing the on coalition troops, provided money to insurgent activities within Afghanistan Arab Ansar al-Mujahidin “uniform”— Taliban commanders such as Baitullah itself in increasing numbers. Insurgents Arab kaffiyya scarves or Afghan pakhols Mehsud to encourage them to attack in the Kunar Valley in Nuristan, for (the round felt hat that became a status Pakistani troops and launch a suicide example, have chosen Abu Ikhlas al- symbol for the first generation of Arab bombing campaign in that country, and Masri, an Egyptian who speaks Pashtu Afghan jihadists), Afghan-style shalwar used their funds to re-arm the Taliban.9 and is married to a local woman, to lead kameez baggy shirts, camouflage jackets Local Pashtuns in Waziristan and in a group of as many as 170 fighters. Arab and the mandatory sneakers. The Afghanistan’s have operations in this area are facilitated videos also showed platoon sized units claimed that the Arab fighters pay by its cross-border proximity to Bajaur of Arab fighters training in the forested well for lodging and food and provide Agency and support from a local mountains of Waziristan with AK-47 money for the families of those who Taliban leader named Ahmad Shah and assault rifles, PK machine guns, RPG-7s, are “martyred” in suicide operations. insurgent leader , mortars and even anti-aircraft guns.6 By According to online videos and local the latter of which has a long history of working with Arabs. Arabs have also 3 See Qaeda al-Jihad’s surprisingly sophisticated video 7 See, for example, “The of Waziristan,” filmed themselves attacking coalition at www.liveleak.com/view?i=184_1201720200. available at www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_ targets in Nangarhar, Paktia, Paktika, 4 For an example of an Arab attack on a convoy, see kDBEJRDpI&NR=1. Khost, Uruzgan, Logar and Zabul 11 “As-Sahab Media: Mujahideen Attack and Destroy Sup- 8 Surprisingly, Turks seem to be joining the jihad in Af- provinces. ply Convoy of Occupation American Forces in Afghan,” ghanistan, and their martyrdom epitaphs and calls for available at www.liveleak.com/view?i=96a_1185478707. Turks to fight in Afghanistan have appeared on such ji- 10 For the direct role of Arabs in transferring suicide 5 See, for example, “Pyre for the Americans in Kha- hadist websites as www.cihaderi.net. For more on Turk- bombing tactics from Iraq to the Deobandi Taliban, who rasan—Video of Mine Explosion Near a Gathering of ish involvement, see Brian Glyn Williams, “Turks Join previously had taboos on suicide bombing, see Brian American Forces in Konar,” available at www.archive. the Jihad in Iraq and Afghanistan,” Focus 3:47 Glyn Williams, “Afghan Suicide Bombing,” Islamic Af- org/details/Konar-Afghanistan. (2006). fairs Analyst, August 13, 2007. 6 See, for example, “Taleban/Al Qaeda Training 9 Zarqawi declared a jihad against the Musharraf “pup- 11 See, for example, an Arab attack in Khost, “As-Sa- Camp in Waziristan,” available at www.youtube.com/ pet” government, and al-Qa`ida agents have tried killing hab Media: Mujahideen fire BM rockets on Occupation watch?v=0uJYY9Yg_lg&feature=related. the Pakistani leader on more than one occasion. American Base in Afghanistan,” available at www.live- February 2008 . Vol 1 . Issue 3

Most recently, Arabs have also been Abu Laith al-Libi (the commander who in Afghanistan to interviewing sighted farther afield fighting in the led al-Qa`ida’s retreat from Afghanistan Kosovar Albanian field commanders. Most unstable southern province of Helmand in 2001), operated under the command recently he served as an expert witness under a first generation Arab Afghan of Mullah Omar. at Guantanamo Bay in the case of Salim leader named Abu Haris.12 Local Hamdan, Bin Ladin’s driver. Helmandi villagers also reported seeing Despite the potential for tensions, Arab fighters in the village of , al-Qa`ida’s head of operations in a town that was occupied by the Taliban Afghanistan, an Egyptian named for most of 2007.13 They reported Mustafa Abu’l-Yazid, who is said to that the Arab fighters set up suicide have good relations with the Taliban, bombing facilities and were extremely has proclaimed that al-Qa`ida in brutal.14 As in previous eras where they Afghanistan recognizes the authority of earned a reputation for butchery (in Mullah Omar. For its part, the Taliban 1991, for example, Arab fighters hacked has charged one Mehmood Haq Yar, a captured Communist Afghan Army Taliban commander who has allegedly soldiers to pieces following the capture been to Iraq to learn the Iraqi insurgents’ of Jalalabad), the Taliban’s Arab allies tactics, with making sure Arabs play a were reported to have executed locals role in the Afghan jihad. It appears that they suspected of being “spies.” both sides are united in their desire to topple the government Such actions hardly endeared the locals and carve out an in the to the Taliban, and there are bound to tribal areas of Pakistan. be future tensions between the Arabs and the Taliban that echo those that Conclusion often caused “red on red” conflict While it is difficult to estimate the between Afghan mujahidin and Arab number of Arab fighters in the region,16 Wahhabis in the 1980s. The distrust it seems obvious that al-Qa`ida central between the Arabs—who come to the is determined to play a key role as “backward” lands of Afghanistan from a fundraiser, recruiter and direct the comparatively developed Gulf contributor to the military efforts in both States—are said to stem from the Arab Afghanistan and Pakistan.17 Moreover, puritans’ disdain for local Afghan Sufi unlike the earlier generation of “gucci “superstitions,” their most un-Afghan jihadists” who made little if any real desire to achieve “martyrdom” and their contribution to the jihad against the wish to lead their own fighting units. Soviets, the current generation seems determined to remind the West that the A local Taliban commander captured “Lions of Islam” have not forgotten the the ambiguous nature of the Taliban- “Forgotten War” in Afghanistan. al-Qa`ida alliance when he claimed of the Arabs: “They come for the sacred Brian Glyn Williams is currently Associate purpose of jihad. They fight according to Professor of Islamic History at the Shari`a law.” He then, however, added University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth. an important caveat: “No foreign fighter Previously he taught at the University of can serve as a Taliban commander.”15 London School of Oriental and African Even key al-Qa`ida field commanders, Studies. In addition to his scholarship, such as the recently slain Libyan leader which includes numerous articles on jihadi terrorism, ethnic violence, and nationalism leak.com/view?i=01f_1185675192; and an Arab attack on in Islamic Eurasia, he has a book entitled a U.S. convoy in Zabul, available at www.liveleak.com/ The Crimean Tatars. The Diaspora view?i=dc1_1184687663. Experience and the Forging of a Nation 12 Abu Haris appears to have created his own mixed (2001). His field work has ranged from Arab Afghan unit called the Jaysh al-. See Waliul- Kosovo to Kashmir to and lah Rahmani, “Al-Qaeda Uses Jaish al-Mahdi to Gain varies from living with Northern Alliance Control over ,” Terrorism Focus 4:34 (2007). 16 Coalition forces have killed or arrested hundreds of 13 Jason Straziuso, “U.S. Intensifies Fight Near Taliban- foreigners; Afghan government officials have spoken of held Town; Talks Under Way to Oust Arab Fighters,” “hundreds” of Arabs operating in some provinces; and , October 28, 2007. the Pakistanis claim to have arrested thousands and 14 “All Eyes on Musa Qala,” www.afgha.com, October killed 488 foreign fighters since 2001. 10, 2007. 17 Sahil Nagpal, “600 Pakistan Security Men Killed in 15 “Foreign Taleban Rile Helmand Residents,” Institute 28 Suicide Attacks After Lal Masjid Operation,” ANI, for War and Peace Reporting, October 30, 2007. November 14, 2007.