Ismail Khan
Born 1946
Nickname	Lion of Herat
Place of birth	Herat, Afghanistan
Rank	General
Battles/wars	Soviet war in Afghanistan, Civil war in Afghanistan, Operation Enduring Freedom
Other work	Governor of Herat Province, Minister of Water and Energy

Ismail Khan (b. area3018 sq mi Herāt ( classically called the Aria, is a city in western Afghanistan, in the province also known as Herāt. Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, The Soviet war in Afghanistan, also known as the Soviet-Afghan War or just the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan, was a nine-year conflict involving The Civil war in Afghanistan, also known as Afghan Civil War, began in 1978 and has continued Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF is the official name used by the U A governor is a governing official usually the executive (at least nominally to different degrees also politically and administratively of a non-sovereign level of government Herat ( is one the 34 Provinces of Afghanistan; together with Badghis, Farah, and Ghor provinces it makes up the north-western region A minister or a secretary is a Politician who holds significant public office in a national or regional Government. 1946), an ethnic Tajik from Herat, Afghanistan, was a powerful Mujahedeen commander in the Soviet War in Afghanistan, and then a key member of the Northern Alliance, later the Governor of Herat Province and is now the Minister of Energy for the country. Tajik ( - Tādjīk; UniPers: Tâjik; Cyrillic: Тоҷик is a term generally applied to Persian-speaking people of area3018 sq mi Herāt ( classically called the Aria, is a city in western Afghanistan, in the province also known as Herāt. Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, A Mujahid (Arabic ar مجاهد, literally "struggler" is a Muslim involved in a Jihad, id est fighting in a war or The Soviet war in Afghanistan, also known as the Soviet-Afghan War or just the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan, was a nine-year conflict involving The United Islamic Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan ( UIF, Jabha-yi Muttahid-i Islami-yi Milli bara-yi Nijat-i Afghanistan) also known as the Northern Herat ( is one the 34 Provinces of Afghanistan; together with Badghis, Farah, and Ghor provinces it makes up the north-western region A minister or a secretary is a Politician who holds significant public office in a national or regional Government. He is a key member the political party Jamiat-e Islami and the new party United National Front. Jamiat-e Islami (also rendered as Jamiat-e-Islami, Jamiati Islami) is an Islamic political party in Afghanistan along the line of the Jamaat-e-Islami The Afghanistan National Front is a political party in Afghanistan.

Resistance against communists

Ismail Khan assessing mujahideen troops during the anti-Soviet jihad. A Mujahid (Arabic ar مجاهد, literally "struggler" is a Muslim involved in a Jihad, id est fighting in a war or

In March 1979 Khan was a Captain in the Afghan National Army based in the western city of Herat. The Afghan National Army (ANA is a service branch of the Military of Afghanistan currently being trained by the coalition forces to ultimately take the lead in area3018 sq mi Herāt ( classically called the Aria, is a city in western Afghanistan, in the province also known as Herāt. He led the Herat garrison in a revolt against Soviet political advisors based in Herat. A soviet (сове́т, "council" originally was a workers' local council in late Imperial Russia. The communist government led by Nur Mohammed Taraki responded, pulverizing the city using Soviet supplied bombers and killing an estimated 24,000 citizens in less than a week. Communism is a Socioeconomic structure that promotes the establishment of an egalitarian, classless, stateless Society based Nur Muhammad Taraki ( July 15, 1913 – September 14, 1979) was an ethnic Pashtun Politician from Afghanistan A bomber is a Military aircraft designed to attack ground and sea targets primarily by dropping Bombs on them ^[1] This event marked the opening salvo of the rebellion which led to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in December 1979. The Soviet war in Afghanistan, also known as the Soviet-Afghan War or just the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan, was a nine-year conflict involving Ismail Khan escaped to the countryside where he started to assemble a local mujahideen army, which was widely supported by the population of Herat. A Mujahid (Arabic ar مجاهد, literally "struggler" is a Muslim involved in a Jihad, id est fighting in a war or ^[2]

During the ensuing war, he became the leader of the western command of Burhanuddin Rabbani's Jamiat-e-Islami. Burhanuddin Rabbani ( - Burhânuddîn Rabbânî) (born 1940 an ethnic Tajik, is a former President of Afghanistan. Jamiat-e Islami (also rendered as Jamiat-e-Islami, Jamiati Islami) is an Islamic political party in Afghanistan along the line of the Jamaat-e-Islami With Ahmad Shah Massoud, he was one of the most respected mujahideen leaders. Ahmad Shah Massoud ( (2 September 1953 &ndash 9 September 2001 was a Tajik Kabul University engineering student turned military leader who played a leading ^[1] In 1992, two years after the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan, the mujahideen captured Herat, and Ismail Khan became Governor. A governor is a governing official usually the executive (at least nominally to different degrees also politically and administratively of a non-sovereign level of government

Resistance against the Taliban

In 1995, he successfully defended his province against the Taliban, in cooperation with Massoud. The Taliban ( طالبان, also anglicised as Taleban; translation "students" is a Sunni Islamist, predominately He even attacked the Taliban stronghold of Kandahar, but was repulsed. For the 2001 film see Kandahar (film; for the Kandahar meteorite of 1959 see Meteorite falls; for the places in Azerbaijan see Cəndəhar and Later, an ally of the Jamiat, Uzbek General Abdul Rashid Dostum changed sides, and attacked Herat. Abdul Rashid Dostum was a former Pro-Soviet fighter during the Soviet Invasion and the current leader of Uzbek-Afghan northern provinces Ismail Khan was forced to flee to Iran with 8,000 men and the Taliban took over Herat. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics.

Two years later, while organising opposition to the Taliban in Faryab area, he was betrayed and captured by Abdul Malik, then one of Dostum's deputies, who had switched to the Taliban's side. Abdul Malik is a Uzbek politician based out of Faryab Province in northern Afghanistan. ^[1] Then in March 1999 he escaped from Kandahar prison. During the U.S. intervention in Afghanistan, he fought against the Taliban within the United Islamic Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan (Northern Alliance) and thus regained his position as Governor of Herat. The War in Afghanistan, which began on October 7 2001 as the U The United Islamic Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan ( UIF, Jabha-yi Muttahid-i Islami-yi Milli bara-yi Nijat-i Afghanistan) also known as the Northern

Post-Taliban Era

Ismail Khan in 2004

While Kabul was and is still struggling, Ismael Khan achieved wonders in terms of reconstruction with the city of Herat. He brought about security, built numerous schools and provided opportunities for small businesses to flourish. Because of these achievements, he is well loved by the people of Herat. Ismael Khan was also an important member of UNIFSA. During his tenure as Governor, Ismail Khan ruled his province like a private fiefdom. This has led to increasing tensions with the Afghan Transitional Administration. See also Civil war in Afghanistan This article on the History of Afghanistan since 1992 covers the time period from the fall of the Najibullah government in 1992 In particular, he refused to pass on to the government the revenues gained from custom taxes on goods from Iran and Turkmenistan. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. Turkmenistan ( Türkmenistan; also known as Turkmenia) is a Turkic country in Central Asia. This money has been used to rebuild Herat after the war, but also to maintain his personal army. ^[3]

The United States, which supports Hamid Karzai, have viewed Ismail Khan's ties with Iran with concern, and advocated ousting him. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Hamid Karzai ( حامد کرزي, حامد کرزي) (born 24 December 1957) is the current President of Afghanistan, since December ^[4] In March 2004, the central government sent units of its newly trained Afghan National Army to assert its authority over Herat. The Afghan National Army (ANA is a service branch of the Military of Afghanistan currently being trained by the coalition forces to ultimately take the lead in This led to clashes with Ismail Khan's men during which 100 people were killed. Among these was Ismail Khan's son, Mirwais Sadiq, then Minister of Civil Aviation. Mirwais Sadiq (died March 21, 2004) was the Civil Aviation Minister of Afghanistan and the son of the Ismail Khan, who was then the governor Under constant pressure both from the government and local rivals, Ismail Khan was sacked in September 2004. As a conciliatory gesture, President Karzai appointed him as Minister of Energy in his cabinet. The Cabinet of Ministers of Afghanistan is made of the heads of all the government ministries

Testimony requested by a Guantanamo captive

Guantanamo captive Abdul Razzaq Hekmati requested Ismail Khan's testimony, when he was called before a Combatant Status Review Tribunal. The Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp is a controversial United States Detention center operated by Joint Task Force Guantanamo since 2002 in Guantanamo Abdul Razzak Hekmati (c 1929 &ndash) was a citizen of Afghanistan, held in Extrajudicial detention in the United States Guantanamo Bay Naval Base The Combatant Status Review Tribunals ( CSRT) are a set of Tribunals purposed to determine whether Detainees held by the United ^[5] Ismail Khan, like Afghan Minister of Defense Rahim Wardak, was one of the high profile Afghans that those conducting the Tribunals ruled were "not reasonably available" to give a statement on a captive's behalf because they could not be located. The Afghan Ministry of Defense is an organ of the Central Government of Afghanistan, overseeing the entire Military of Afghanistan. Abdul Rahim Wardak is the Defence Minister of Afghanistan. He was appointed by President Hamid Karzai on December 23, 2004.

Hekmati had played a key role in helping Ismail Khan escape from the Taliban in 1999. ^[6] Hekmati stood accused of helping Taliban leaders escape from the custody of Hamid Karzai's government.

Carlotta Gall and Andy Worthington interviewed Ismail Khan for a new New York Times article after Hekmati died of cancer in Guantanamo. Carlotta Gall is a British journalist who covers Afghanistan and Pakistan for The New York Times. Andy Worthington is a British Historian and Journalist. He has published three books and been published in numerous publications ^[6] According to the New York Times Ismail Khan said he personally buttonholed the American ambassador to tell him that Hekmati was innocent, and should be released. In contrast, Hekmati was told that the State Department had been unable to locate Khan.

Controversy

Ismail Khan is a controversial figure. Reporters Without Borders has charged him with muzzling the press and ordering attacks on journalists. ^[7] Also Human Rights Watch has accused him of human rights abuses. Human Rights Watch is a United States -based international Non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on Human rights. ^[8] After the fall of the Taliban when Ismail Khan regained control of Herat, he established an Islamic police, who would beat anyone who was found drinking and then parade them through the city with their heads shaved.

Nevertheless, he remains a popular figure in Afghanistan. There are several reasons for this. First of all, unlike other mujahideen commanders, Khan has not been linked to large-scale massacres and atrocities such as those committed after the capture of Kabul in 1992. ^[1] Moreover, during his Governorship, Herat province has enjoyed relative peace and prosperity. Herat is traditionally a trading city, and generally regarded as the most prosperous in Afghanistan. With the money drawn from customs revenues, Khan has rebuilt much of the damage done by the Soviets and the Taliban. He has repaved roads, rebuilt schools and provided opportunities for small businesses to flourish, earning himself the gratitude of the Heratis. His popularity can be ascertained by the fact that, at the news of his dismissal, rioting broke out in the streets of Herat. ^[3]

Notes and references

External links

• Official site of Amir Mohammad Ismail
• Strategic Insights - Ismail Khan, Herat, and Iranian Influence
• BBC Profile: Ismail Khan
• GlobalSecurity.org - General Mohammad Ismail Khan
• BBC interview with Ismail Khan in 2004 (on Youtube)