Jihadi figure Mohammad Ismail Khan has said, marking the fifth anniversary of the fall of Herat, that the expansion of resistance against the Taliban and growing public dissatisfaction with the group’s rule indicate that the Taliban’s “despotism” is heading toward decline.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Ismail Khan described the fall of Herat on August 12, 2021, as the result of a “calculated conspiracy, secret deals, and overt betrayal of the country,” saying the incident paved the way for the collapse of the government’s institutional structure across Afghanistan.
Commenting on the Taliban’s five years in power, he said the group had failed to establish an accountable and responsible system of governance. He stressed that the absence of a legitimate, people-based government, combined with the Taliban’s “oppression, discrimination, and repressive policies,” is driving the country toward destruction.
Ismail Khan added that the expansion of resistance movements in various parts of the country and growing public dissatisfaction with Taliban rule are signs that the process of ending the group’s authoritarian rule has begun.
Herat fell to the Taliban five years ago following intense attacks and several days of fighting. At the time, Ismail Khan led local armed forces in defending Herat against the Taliban, but surrendered to the group as the city fell.
writer:Saeed Sameer
