Kirill Krivosheev
Afghanistan is gradually getting used to life under the Taliban. And although the new government has not yet established itself legally, it already has obvious allies: Russia, China and Pakistan. At the same time, attempts to start partisan resistance within the country, contrary to expectations, so far do not look very convincing. Nevertheless, the hard-to-reach province of Panjshir may become the main arena of confrontation. Former Vice President Amrullah Saleh, who announced himself on Tuesday, is trying to stir up the rebellion. O. the head of state, and also the son of the legendary Afghan field commander Ahmad Masud.
Feminism under the Taliban
The second day after the de facto rule of the Russian-banned Taliban movement was established in Afghanistan, began with very encouraging news. Despite fears that, under the leadership of the Taliban, women would be deprived of virtually all civil rights, street actions were held in Kabul without any problems, demanding that this be prevented. According to the Afghan agency Khaama News, a group of women gathered in the 10th police district of the capital, demanding the right to participate in the future government. Although, as the agency notes, the protesters did not dare to utter the word “Taliban”. Meanwhile, in social networks, according to the same agency, people are trying to preserve the current flag of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – at least on a par with the white flag of the Taliban. The idea is also expressed to develop a new flag of the country.
A landmark event on Tuesday was the first appearance of a Taliban spokesman – Mawlavi (religious title) Abdul Haq Hemad – in the studio of Tolo News, which also brought back news broadcasts with women in camera (they were not on Monday). TV presenter Beheshta Argand even asked the Taliban a sharp question – about the massive searches carried out by the militants in Kabul. A day earlier, this topic was raised by Afghanistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Gulam Isakzai. But Mr. Hemad avoided answering and began to congratulate the viewers on the arrival of the new government, and later complained that before that the Taliban had been portrayed in the media “like animals.”
And when the journalist asked the question for the second time, he assured that the searches are carried out not by representatives of the movement, but by cr-iminals who pretend to be them.
After that, Sputnik Afgh-anistan, citing local media, reported that the Taliban had been banned from entering private property.
“The Taliban made a number of statements that at first glance are encouraging,” admitted on Tuesday the representative of the UN Human Rights Office Rupert Colville. “But their (Taliban – Kommersant ) actions will say more than words, but for now early to judge. It is clear that, based on experience, these declarations were met (in the world community – Kommersant ) with some skepticism. “
“Senior in Kabul”
Meanwhile, the Russian authorities are still confident that serious problems with the Taliban should not be expected. On Tuesday, Russian Ambassador to Afghanistan Dmitry Zhir-nov personally met with re-presentatives of the movement. “The meeting was exclusively dedicated to the security of the embassy,” he told Rossiya 24 TV.
According to the diplomat, there is also contact between the Russian and American embassies, which operates at the Kabul airport. But Russian diplomats have no opportunity to communicate with representatives of the former Afghan authorities.
We cannot turn to the previous leadership, there is no one, all ministries are empty, ”said Dmitry Zhirnov.
In turn, the Afghan Embassy in Moscow, according to Kommersant’s information, is working as usual, but there have been no significant meetings with representatives of the Russian authorities in recent days.
When asked if the Taliban had something like a state structure, Dmitry Zhirnov replied: “No, there is only the de facto Taliban senior in Kabul.” However, judging by the story of the Russian ambassador, he is quite pleased with the new order in the city: “For the second day in a row, there is a ringing silence in the city, not a single shot. This is after the Taliban entered and declared a curfew on the first night. The main problem here is looters and criminals. They (the Taliban – Kommersant ) caught 130 looters yesterday. They have a short conversation with the marauders. In general, everything is tough with criminals: they can shoot. And with rapists and thieves. And if it is an armed robbery, then even more so. Everything is very tough, and, apparently, it had an effect. “
Another country that has de facto decided to support the new de facto authorities in Afghanistan is Pakistan. It was he who first opened the land border at the Torkham checkpoint, allowing hundreds of trucks with various goods to pass through. This was announced by the Tolo News TV channel. True, the Pakistani authorities officially emphasize that they have no favorites in Afghanistan.
The Uzbek authorities are also interacting with the Taliban – albeit with the opposite purpose – to keep the border shut.
“The Uzbek side maintains close contacts with representatives of the Taliban movement on ensuring border protection and maintaining calm in the border zone,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the republic said on Tuesday. legislation of Uzbekistan ”.
Nevertheless, the likelihood of resolving the issue with those wishing to leave Afghanistan also appeared. On the page of the Civil Aviation Administration of the country, a record appeared that the employees of the department “are working to eliminate technical problems and restore order at the airport in order to ensure flights at the airport as usual and resume work.” However, this requires solving several more problems – for example, returning passport control and affixing stamps to leave the country, which is extremely difficult in the absence of a legitimate government.
China plays a special role… On the one hand, he declares his readiness to cooperate with the Taliban regime, criticizing the United States for “leaving behind a terrible mess”, on the other hand, he acts as a guarantor for his junior partner, Tajikistan, which is also in a military alliance with Russia. Therefore, the republic will simultaneously host Russian and Tajik-Chinese military exercises. According to the press service of the Central Military District of Russia, “about 1,000 Russian servicemen of the 201st military base stationed in Tajikistan went to the Lyaur and Sambuli training grounds to improve their combat training skills,” namely, to repel attacks enemy in the highlands. China, in turn, sent to Tajikistan not the military, but representatives of the Ministry of Public Security – an analogue of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.Let us recall that Tajikistan is the only neighbor of Afghanistan that has not established contacts with the Taliban movement and refuses to do so.
Isle of Defiance
On Tuesday evening, the Taliban held their first press conference in Kabul, at which they singled out three countries with which they describe relations as “very good”: Russia, China and Pakistan. In addition, speaking to reporters, the press secretary of the movement Zabihullah Mujahid promised that Afghanistan “will not be a center for drug production, as well as drug trafficking.” And he asked for help: “The world community must help us so that we can offer the peasants an alternative. If we can offer them a replacement and successfully implement this program, then in the coming years we will bring to zero the production of drugs and the drug business ”.
In addition, Mr. Mujahid confirmed that the Taliban are in talks with a new coordinating council, which includes Chairman of the Supreme Council for National Reconciliation Abdullah Abdullah, ex-President Hamid Karzai and leader of the Islamic Party Gulbeddin Hekmatyar. The new government will determine which laws will be promulgated first. In particular, it will decide to what extent women will participate in public life.
One way or another, we will work to achieve economic development, build infrastructure and strive for constructive relations with neighbors, ”promised Zabihullah Mujahid.
While the Taliban establish new orders in Kabul and other cities in the country, one province continues to resist. This is Panjshir, which is essentially a gorge with mountain villages, where a total of about 140 thousand people live, 98% of whom are Tajiks. There is also the mausoleum of the Panjshir lion – the so-called field commander Ahmad Shah Massoud, who fought first with Soviet troops, and then with the Taliban. Judging by the photos and videos from social networks, after the Taliban took Kabul to Panjshir, the son of the legendary commander, Ahmad Masud, flew by helicopter, who intends to continue his father’s work and organize an anti-Taliban militia.
Together with him in Panjshir is Amrullah Saleh, a former vice president of Afghanistan, as well as a native of this province and a close associate of Masud Sr. As the most senior official remaining in Afghanistan and openly challenging the Taliban, Mr. Saleh announced himself on Tuesday. O. the president of the country. “According to the clear provisions of the constitution, in the absence, flight or death of the president, the first vice-president will act. I am in Afghanistan and legally fulfill these duties, ”he wrote on Twitter.“ Unlike the US and NATO, we have not lost our spirit and see great opportunities ahead. The useless warnings are over. Join the resistance. “
In addition to the forces of Ahmad Shah Massoud, according to a RIA Novosti source in Kabul, 10,000 militias have moved to Panjshir, subordinate to the leader of the Uzbeks of Afghanistan, Marshal Abdul-Rashid Dostum. However, he himself fled to Uzbekistan on Saturday, surrendering Mazar-i-Sharif to the Taliban without a fight. Nevertheless, even the first success of the anti-Taliban militia is reported – allegedly, the fighters were able to recapture the Charikar region in Parwan province from the Taliban.
