Haji Mali Khan (Pashto: حاجي مالي خان) is an Afghan Taliban politician, and former military commander. Khan has served as Deputy Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces since 4 March 2022.[1] From 7 November 2021 to 14 March 2022, he served as governor of Logar Province.[2][3] Prior to his governmental service, he was considered one of the leaders of the Haqqani network, a "semi-autonomous" offshoot of the Taliban.[4]
Haji Mali Khan | |
|---|---|
| Pashto: حاجي مالي خان | |
| Deputy Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Afghanistan | |
| Assumed office 4 March 2022 | |
| Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces | Qari Fasihuddin |
| Governor of Logar | |
| In office 7 November 2021 – 14 March 2022 | |
| Prime Minister | Hasan Akhund |
| Emir | Hibatullah Akhundzada |
| Preceded by | Muhammad Ali Jan Ahmad |
| Succeeded by | Maulvi Inayatullah |
| Personal details | |
| Nationality |  Afghanistan |
Life
editMali Khan is a Pashtun from the Zadran tribe.[5] His sister is the mother of five of Jalaludin Haqqani's sons[6] and hence Mali Khan is uncle to Sirajuddin Haqqani.[7][8]
Mali Khan was a senior Haqqani commander in Afghanistan,[9] in charge of troop movements and support between the North Waziristan District in Pakistan and the Loya Paktia (the Khost, Paktia, and Paktika provinces of Afghanistan).[10][11][12] In the 2009–2010, Mali Khan established bases for Haqqani fighters in the Mangal tribal areas of Paktia Province.[10] During this time he promoted the movement of Taliban forces from Pakistan to Afghanistan.[10] Among his duties was acting as an emissary between Baitullah Mehsud and the Haqqanis.[13] He was captured by ISAF forces on 27 September 2011, during a raid in Musakhel District, a Haqqani network stronghold in Khost Province.[8] He was released in a prisoner swap in November 2019.[14] Several mounths after his release he was reported back at work for the Haqqani network, in military coordination and logistics.[15]
When the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan was re-established, following the withdrawal of NATO troops in August 2021, Mali Khan became part of the Afghan government and was appointed as governor of Logar Province.[3][16]
References
edit- ^ په یو شمیر وزارتونو، قول اردو ګانو اوولایتونو کې نوې ټاکنې وشوې [New elections were held for a number of ministries, corps and provinces]. Pajhwok Network. 4 March 2022. Archived from the original on 3 March 2022.
- ^ د نږدې شلو ولایاتو لپاره نوي والیان او امنیې قوماندانان وټاکل شول [New governors and police chiefs have been appointed for about 20 provinces]. Azam News (in Pashto). 7 November 2021. Archived from the original on 7 November 2021.
- ^ a b Ahmadzai, Asif (8 November 2021). "New governors named for 17 provinces". Pajhwok Afghan News. Archived from the original on 8 November 2021.
- ^ "Senior Haqqani commander captured in Afghanistan". France 24. 1 October 2011. Archived from the original on 2 October 2011.
- ^ "Once wanted terrorists, now Taliban are prominent members of 2021". The Economic Times. 28 August 2021. Archived from the original on 28 August 2021.
- ^ Hock, Isaac; Dressler, Jeffrey (November 2011). "Haqqani network family tree" (PDF). Institute for the. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 May 2021.
- ^ "Haqqani leader captured in Afghanistan". Financial Times. 1 October 2011. Retrieved 21 October 2011.
- ^ a b "NATO: Haqqani Leader Captured in Afghanistan". NPR. 1 October 2011. Archived from the original on 2 October 2011.
- ^ "Nato 'kills senior Haqqani militant in Afghanistan'". BBC News. 30 June 2011.
- ^ a b c "Haji Mali Khan". Afghan Biographies.
- ^ Brown, Vahid; Rassler, Don (2013). Fountainhead of Jihad: The Haqqani Nexus, 1973-2012. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. p. 139. ISBN 978-0-19-936537-1.
- ^ Semple, Michael (2011). "How the Haqqani Network is Expanding from Waziristan". Foreign Affairs. 90 (5). Retrieved 12 November 2021.
- ^ Roggio, Bill (1 November 2011). "US adds senior Haqqani Network leader to terrorist list". The Long War Journal. Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Archived from the original on 3 November 2011.
- ^ Zucchino, David; Goldman, Adam (19 November 2019). "Two Western Hostages Are Freed in Afghanistan in Deal with Taliban". The New York Times.
- ^ مالی خان فرمانده رها شده طالبان دوباره به صفوف جنگ برگشته است [Released Taliban commander Mali Khan has returned to the battlefield] (in Persian). Afghanistan: Jomhor News. 13 April 2020. Archived from the original on 13 April 2020.
- ^ "Top Haqqani Network leader named Taliban governor of Logar". The Long War Journal. Foundation for Defense of Democracies. 10 November 2021. Archived from the original on 10 November 2021.