Detention Of Commander Triggers Riot, Taliban Holds Military Parade To Show Strength

Illustration of a Taliban military parade. (Twitter/@Ahmadmuttaqi01)

JAKARTA - Afghanistan's ruling group Taliban staged a military parade across a city in northwestern Afghanistan last weekend, in a show of force following unrest over the detention of a popular Taliban commander.

Protests erupted last week in Maymana, the capital of Faryab province, after an Uzbek Taliban commander was arrested for alleged links to the kidnapping plot.

The unrest sparked fears of tension between Uzbek civilians and Pashtun and Taliban fighters, with unconfirmed reports that members of both ethnic groups have been killed in isolated clashes.

"We deployed hundreds of troops from neighboring provinces and the situation is under control now," Latifullah Hakimi, a senior defense ministry official told AFP as quoted by Al Arabiya on January 18.

The parade included a line of masked fighters wearing matching white shalwar kameez tunics, khaki combat vests, and head coverings.

Dozens of heavily armed fighters in jungle camouflage ride in the back of pick-up trucks and armored vehicles, which were seized from Afghan Government and United States forces during the swift summer takeover by the Taliban.

The residents of Maymana lined the route, many cold-faced as they filmed the parade with their cell phone cameras.

"Two days ago the situation was not good because of the demonstrations, but now the situation is normal. The only problem we have is people don't have jobs, but they are very happy with the security," said Rohullah, a 20-year-old shopkeeper.

The show of strength comes as Afghanistan's new rulers struggle to evolve from an armed group into a governing force in a country on the verge of economic collapse, with the United Nations estimating more than half the population facing acute hunger.

Discipline between ranks and archives, particularly in remote areas, was problematic, with local commanders ignoring orders from Kabul or carrying out orders of their own accord.

Promising softer rules than their 1996-2001 regime, the Taliban have launched a commission to identify members who break the rules, sacking nearly 3,000 soldiers.

"We held a military parade in the city to reassure people that we will not let anyone interfere with security," said Jaweed, a Maymana commander who like most people goes by only one name.