Fidai Mahaz

The Sacrifice Front, more commonly known as Fidai Mahaz (Pashto: فدا محاذ), is a Taliban splinter group and faction in the War in Afghanistan. It is led by Mullah Najibullah, also known as Omar Khitab, a former Taliban commander.[10][1]

Fidai Mahaz
(Sacrifice Front)
فدا محاذ ‎
LeadersMullah Najibullah
Dates of operationc. 2013–Present[1]
Split fromTaliban and Mullah Dadullah Front
Allegiance Islamic State (claimed by Taliban alleged, denied by group)[2]
 Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (claimed by group, denied by Taliban)
Group(s)Pashtuns & Others
Active regionsAfghanistan[1]
IdeologySalafist Qutbism
Size
  • 8,000 (Self-declared in 2013)[1]
  • 1,000-2500+ (2022 UN report)[5]
AlliesState allies

Non-State allies

Formerly:

High Council of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (HCIEA)[7] (until 2021)[8][9]
OpponentsState opponents

Formerly:

Non-State opponents

Formerly:

Battles and warsGlobal War on Terrorism
Websitehttp://www.allfida.org/en/

History

Foundation

Fidai Mahaz was formed by ex-Taliban members and former members of the Mullah Dadullah Front.[10] They had grown disillusioned with the leadership of the Taliban under Mullah Akhtar Mansour over peace talks with the Kabul government, opening a political office in Qatar and approaching Iran for support.[10][1]

The group's leader, Mullah Najibullah, stated that the group's aims were simple: Cancelling the peace process between the insurgents and the Afghan government, and continuing to fight the government in Kabul and the NATO forces until they have left Afghanistan.[1]

War in Afghanistan

Sources within Afghan intelligence and Taliban figures have stated that Fidai Mahaz was behind the failed suicide attack on the Indian Consulate in the eastern town of Jalalabad in early 2013.[1]

On 11 March 2014, Fidai Mahaz claimed responsibility for the killing of British-Swedish reporter Nils Horner. The group's spokesman, Qari Hamza, accused him of being "a spy of Mi6" in an English-language statement.[3][4][11][12][13]

Death of Mullah Omar

Fidai Mahaz claimed Taliban founder and former leader Mullah Mohammed Omar did not die of natural causes but was instead assassinated in a coup led by Mullah Akhtar Mansour and Mullah Gul Agha. The Taliban commander Mullah Mansoor Dadullah, brother of former senior commander Mullah Dadullah, also claimed that Omar had been assassinated.[14] Mullah Najibullah, claimed that due to Omar's kidney disease, he needed medicine. According to Najibullah, Mansour poisoned the medicine, damaging Omar's liver and causing him to grow weaker. When Omar summoned Mansour and other members of Omar's inner circle to hear his will, they discovered that Mansour was not to assume leadership of the Taliban. It was due to Mansour allegedly orchestrating "dishonourable deals". When Mansour pressed Omar to name him as his successor, Omar refused. Mansour then shot and killed Omar. Najibullah claimed Omar died at a southern Afghanistan hide-out in Zabul Province in the afternoon on 23 April 2013.[15][10]

References
  1. "Mullah Najibullah: Too Radical for the Taliban". Newsweek. 30 August 2013. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
  2. Qazi, Shereena (7 November 2021). "Deadly Taliban infighting erupts in Afghanistan". www.aljazeera.com.
  3. "Taliban splinter group says it killed British-Swedish reporter Nils Horner". The Guardian. 13 March 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
  4. "Fedey-e-Mahaz-Afghanistan". Terrorism Research & Analysis Consortium. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  5. "S/2022/419". United Nations Security Council. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
  6. Craig, Tim (5 December 2015). "Islamic State is having a hard time taking root in Pakistan". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 7 December 2015. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
  7. Qazi, Shereena (9 November 2015). "Deadly Taliban infighting erupts in Afghanistan". www.aljazeera.com.
  8. "پسر ملامنان نیازی به طالبان پیوست" [The son of Mullah Manan Niazi joined the Taliban]. farsnews. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  9. "تاجیک‌ها به تاجیکستان، ازبک‌ها به ازبکستان و هزاره‌ها به گورستان بروند! - بهار نیوز" [Tajiks to Tajikistan, Uzbeks to Uzbekistan and Hazaras to the grave!]. پایگاه خبری بهار نیوز (in Persian). 9 September 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2022. حافظ خالد نیاز پسر ملا عبدالمنان نیازی (معروف به قصاب شیعیان افغانستان) با انتشار ویدئیی، با امارت اسلامی طالبان اعلام بیعت كرد. [Hafiz Khalid Niazi, son of Mullah Abdul Manan Niazi (known as the Shiite butcher of Afghanistan) released a video declaring his allegiance to the Islamic Emirate.]
  10. "Why the Taliban murdered their own leader and the terrifying fallout now threatening the West". The Mirror. 21 August 2015. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
  11. Graham-Harrison, Emma (12 March 2014). "Taliban splinter group says it killed British-Swedish reporter Nils Horner". The Guardian (UK).
  12. Rosenberg, Matthew (16 March 2014). "Facts Elusive in Kabul Death of Swedish Reporter". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
  13. "Taliban splinter group claims responsibility for reporter's slaying". Edition CNN. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  14. "Pakistan exposed Mullah Omar's death for its own interests: Kandahar clerics". Khaama Press. 18 August 2015. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
  15. "Mullah Omar: a myth of convenience". The Hindu. 20 August 2015. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
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