Untrue that Mohib asks Ismael Khan not to resist Taliban

KABUL (Pajhwok): Social media posts that claim that National Security Advisor (NSA) Hamdullah Mohib has asked former jihadi commander Mohammad Ismael Khan to stop resisting the Taliban aggression are incorrect.

Claim: Herat province districts are under Taliban control and the group has entered fighting in some parts of Herat City, the provincial capital.

According to a report, Ismael Khan, who is also senior member of Jamiat-e-Islami Party, on July 9 told his supporters: “Until evening local uprising personnel will join security forces in fight against the Taliban and security situation of Herat City will change. I want to tell security forces not to retreat as local uprising personnel of southwest will join them.”

After Ismael Khan became active in fighting the Taliban, a social media post is circulating in which Ismael Khan told Salahuddin Rabbani, head of Jamiat-e-Islami Party, that National Security Advisor Hamdullah Mohib had warned him against attacking the Taliban.

The text attributed to Ameeri added: “The fact that the government and the Taliban have reached an agreement that 70 percent Afghanistan’s territory will be handed over to the Taliban to end decade’s old conflict and bloodshed. If the Taliban attacked major cities from the districts under their control then the government will take action to suppress them, government should stop political parties from taking steps against the Taliban. No political party or any other group has the right to intervene during surrender time.”

In this lengthy text Ismael Khan was also quoted as saying: “I told Hamdullah Moheb, first of all, that you were unaware that you had signed such a game or agreement with Pakistan and the Taliban without consulting the leaders and all political parties and the people. If people rise up against the Taliban and your plans are disrupted, you know what a disaster it will be; In the second step, I will not allow the Taliban to make the geography of Herat province insecure and occupy, nor will I allow the government to play such shameful games against our people. If more than this government interferes in my work, I will declare Herat province a neutral region and hand over its security to the Mujahideen of Herat until the fate of peace and war is determined. Later, if the government and the Taliban reach a peace agreement, we will welcome it and say goodbye.”

Fact Check:

Abdul Razaq Ahmadi, spokesperson of the Southwestern Resistance Group and Ismael Khan’s close aide, told Pajhwok Afghan News no conversation on this topic between Ismael Khan and Mohib had taken place. No talks on the issue had been held between Ismael Khan and Salahuddin Rabbani as well, he said, terming the social media claims baseless.

Security Institutions General Spokesperson Ajmal Umar Shinwari also termed the text baseless and far from reality.

Outcome: Ismael Khan’s close aide and defence affairs spokesperson termed the text attributed to Ismael Khan and Mohib in which the latter threatens the former not to attack the Taliban is believed to be untrue and baseless.

Verdict: Social media text attributed to Ismael khan and Hamdulah Mohib is baseless, incorrect.

Nh/ma

Ahmad Sohaib Hasrat

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