Small Wars Journal

Are ISIS Fighters Prisoners or Honored Guests of the Afghan Government?

Sat, 08/04/2018 - 2:46pm

Are ISIS Fighters Prisoners or Honored Guests of the Afghan Government? By Najim Rahim and Rod Nordland – New York Times

SHEBERGHAN, Afghanistan - The top commander of the Islamic State in northern Afghanistan stood behind a lectern decorated with the shield of the Afghan government’s powerful intelligence agency.

On his left was the police general in charge of the province. Arrayed behind him was an assortment of other dignitaries: police, army, political figures. An attendant put a bottle of mineral water nearby, in case the intense heat made the commander thirsty.

This is how the Islamic State commander, Maulavi Habib ul-Rahman, began his “imprisonment” on Thursday. Along with 250 of his fighters, Mr. Rahman had surrendered the day before to the Afghan government in the northern province of Jowzjan, to avoid being captured by the Taliban.

He thanked his hosts and, in a scolding tone, warned them to stick to the deal they had just made. “Provide us with personal security as well as stay loyal to the commitments made between us so it prepares the ground for others who fight against the government to join the peace process,” Mr. Rahman demanded from the dais.

Peace process? Officially, Mr. Rahman, another Islamic State commander, hundreds of fighters and 20 relatives traveling with them were prisoners who had turned themselves in to the government to avoid imminent capture by Taliban insurgents who had conducted a monthlong offensive against them.

Other insurgents have joined the government side through a formal peace process open to those not accused of human rights abuses, but that is not a possibility with the Islamic State, officials insisted.

“They surrendered to Afghan forces — they did not join the peace process. These are two different things,” said Gen. Faqir Mohammad Jawzjani, the provincial police chief, who shared the podium with Mr. Rahman.

If they were prisoners, however, it was hard to tell…

Read on.