Qari Fasihuddin: The Commander Of The Afghan Army Chosen By The Taliban, The First Conqueror Of The North To Step On Panjshir

Qari Faihuddin (center). (Twitter/@Badri_313_Unit)

JAKARTA - The Taliban officially announced Afghanistan's new governing structure, with Mullah Hassan Akhund, who is co-founder of the group Mullah Omar, appointed as head of government, and Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, head of the Taliban's political office as a deputy.

"All those mentioned are holding their positions in an 'acting' capacity", said Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid in a press statement, citing Reuters on September 8. He added that several ministries still had to be filled while waiting for the hunt for qualified people.

In addition to a number of senior and influential figures in ministry positions, the Taliban also appointed an influential figure as army commander, namely Qari Fasihuddin, based on the upload of another Taliban spokesman, Suhail Shaheen.

Of the various commissions in the Taliban, the Military Commission is the largest and most significant, according to Afghan researcher Fazelminallah Qazizai, citing VOA September 5. Fasihuddin is here. This commission is led by Mullah Yaqoob Umari with three representatives, namely Maulawi Sadar Ibrahim, Maulawi Abul Qayum Zakir, and Qari Fasihuddin. All three were prominent military commanders. Fasihuddin is a senior commander for nine northern provinces and is of ethnic Tajik origin.

Meanwhile, according to Samaa.tv September 7, Qari Fasihuddin, known as the Conqueror of the North, was the first Taliban leader in history to set foot in Bazarak, the capital of Panjshir province.

Qari Fasihuddin played a key role in the Taliban's occupation of northern Afghanistan, and now has the honor of conquering Panjshir, Afghanistan's only undefeated province.

He is a Tajik and hails from Badakhshan, the last province in northern Afghanistan, which is known for its successful war strategy, conquering the entire northern Alliance. He is considered one of the most charismatic leaders and is the first Tajik to make it to a military commission in Taliban history, amid the Pashtun majority in the traditional Taliban structure.

Last Friday, Fasihuddin was appointed to conquer Panjshir, to then announce the successful conquest of territory led by fighters led by Ahmed Massoud, son of the late Mujahideen commander Ahmad Shah Massoud, Monday this week. On the other hand, the Taliban opposition claims Qari Fasihuddin has been killed in the fighting. This claim is refuted by the Taliban with the release of a new video.

List of Acting Ministers and Heads of Departments(in English): pic.twitter.com/NFKaF0xqeu

— Suhail Shaheen. محمد سهیل شاهین (@suhailshaheen1) September 7, 2021