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Taliban commander lays down arms, supports government in northern Afghanistan
Former commander says militants kill the innocent
By Abdulhadi Hairan
2010-05-20
KABUL – A Taliban commander, Mullah Abdullah, also known as Mullah Malang, joined the government’s peace process May 19, handing over heavy and small weapons and formally denouncing violence in the increasingly volatile Kunduz Province of Afghanistan.
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![Taliban fighters hand over their weapons as they surrender to the government of Herat Province in western Afghanistan in this 2009 file photo. Mullah Adbullah, and 25 other Taliban fighters, laid down their arms May 19 and now support the government in northern Kunduz Province. [Majid/Getty Images]](/shared/images/2010/05/20/AFCommander-218_172.jpg)
Taliban fighters hand over their weapons as they surrender to the government of Herat Province in western Afghanistan in this 2009 file photo. Mullah Adbullah, and 25 other Taliban fighters, laid down their arms May 19 and now support the government in northern Kunduz Province. [Majid/Getty Images]
![Taliban fighters hand over their weapons as they surrender to the government of Herat Province in western Afghanistan in this 2009 file photo. Mullah Adbullah, and 25 other Taliban fighters, laid down their arms May 19 and now support the government in northern Kunduz Province. [Majid/Getty Images]](/shared/images/2010/05/20/AFCommander.jpg)
According to local officials, Mullah Abdullah commanded at least 25 fighters, all of whom have joined the government peace process. Five of his fighters were recently killed in a coalition force operation, local officials told Central Asia Online.
In a formal ceremony in Kunduz, Mullah Abdullah told media he had been fighting against government forces in the Imam Sahib and Gul Tapa areas of the province but recently developed differences with the militants over killing innocent people labelled as spies.
“I thought the Taliban were fighting to defend the country and the people, but I found them murdering innocent people; I warned them several times to avoid killing civilians, but they did not pay attention and continued terrorising the population”, he said. “Many times they label innocent villagers as spies and kill them indiscriminately. I did not want that. So I decided to denounce them and live a peaceful life”.
Kunduz is a strategically important province in Afghanistan’s north and has been facing a Taliban surge in recent months.
Earlier this week Afghan and international forces killed 35 Taliban fighters, including Uzbeks and Pakistanis, in an operation in Gul Tapa.
While Mullah Abdullah denounced the Taliban for killing innocent villagers, a senior official in the south-eastern Ghazni Province said insurgents were continuing that campaign in his area.
“The insurgents killed a university student, Khalil-u-Rehman, on Wednesday, along with another resident of Ghazni, on the charges of spying”, Khial Baz Shirzai, a senior police official in the province, told Central Asia Online. “This week, the Taliban killed seven innocent villagers on the same charges. They have also kidnapped a teacher of Sultan Shahabuddin Ghori High School in Ghazni”.
In other violence May 19, the Taliban killed a former senator in the Balkh Province of northern Afghanistan. Local residents said Muhammad Ibrahim was a senator during the King Zahir Shah regime, but more recently he farmed and lived in Mazar-i Sharif.
Sources said Ibrahim visited his village in the Shulgar district a few days ago to look at his lands and the militants attacked him during the night and killed him.
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Reader Comments
if USA army not go out ifghanistan i think Taliban is wright .
bad luck for
talibanare snacks v newer trust them v shelter them during rushian attack but they bite us they kill inosent pakistani they bobm to hospitals for using polio drops they are enimals
I want your correct address. Give me your address. Many thanks! Thank you and Goodbye!
Taliban should be noble, and newer ever attack on areas of Pakistan. thats good news that they surrender in Afghanistan
love u all afghan people
god
i want to say some thing abut new governametn of karzi,he told to afgani piopal to brige piace but uptodate we r looking for that, if karzi right please bring that if rong whay he promiss to the piopal of afghainstan?
taliban never ever lay down their wepons
On the news: A good sign for peace to have unauthorized armed people surrender to government, I welcome them back to their province(s) to try/taste a peaceful life with their families & relatives. To come back on above gentleman \"not good popele this very bad mens\" who wants to meet Karzai just to tell Karzai he want to serve Afghanistan: I recommend him to join Army, Police or any other security forces, this is the best & proud way to serve his country, there is no need to see Karzai & I believe it is not possible for Karzai to see each individual of this country, Everyone of us has something to say to Karzai, but not good idea to request individual face to face visit with Karzai,
yes, we see that innocents people lose thier lifes in the deadly atacks by taliban, therefore the massese now want to stop them.
i am khan i am live in pakistan i am very poor
not good popele this very bad mens
i want to meet with you karzay swaheb becose i like my contary and i very love with my contry i am bba student and my age is jast 16 year iwant to work for my contary plz accpet my emil