Afghanistan Freedom Front

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Afghanistan Freedom Front
جبههَ آزادی افغانستان (Dari)
د افغانستان د ازادۍ جبهه (Pashto)
Dates of operation12 March 2022 [1] – present
Active regionsNationwide across Afghanistan
Ideology Anti-Taliban
Federalism
StatusActive
AlliesFlag of Afghanistan (1992-2001).svg National Resistance Front [2]
National Resistance Council for the Salvation of Afghanistan
OpponentsFlag of the Taliban.svg  Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan
Battles and wars Afghan conflict
Website https://freedom-front.com/

The Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF) is an anti-Taliban militant group operating in Afghanistan. [1] In some parts of Afghanistan, the AFF and National Resistance Front (NRF) collaborate on anti-Taliban operations. [3]

Contents

The AFF has reportedly tried to recruit and support pro-NRF fighters in different parts of country, putting in perspective the NRF and AFF's joint appeal being more popular among Tajiks and pro-Jamiat e Islami groups. [4]

Timeline of resistance

2022

In March 2022, the AFF announced its formation to the public via social media. [5]

On 14 April 2022, the AFF reported that its fighters have engaged Taliban forces simultaneously in Badakhshan, Baghlan, Kandahar, Parwan, Takhar, Laghman and Samangan. [6]

On 5 July 2022, the AFF killed six Taliban soldiers and wounded two in a missile attack on Bagram Airfield. A Taliban military vehicle was also destroyed. [7] On 15 July, AFF fighters fought off a Taliban incursion in Khost wa Farang district. [8]

On 6 October 2022, there were claims that AFF fighters in Kandahar had assassinated a Taliban commander. [9]

2023

On 10 March 2023, AFF detonated an IED on Taliban forces, killing 3 at Police Station District 5 in Kabul. [10]

On 30 March 2023, AFF claimed its fighters attacked the Taliban Security Command in Kabul and killed two Taliban fighters. [11]

On 12 April 2023, AFF representatives denied Taliban reports that Akmal Ameer was killed by Taliban forces, although they did confirm six AFF fighters dead. [12] But on 16 April, the AFF did say that Ameer was killed by Taliban fighters. [13]

On May 9 2023, the AFF claimed an attack on Taliban positions in Kapisa province, killing three and wounding four Taliban fighters. [14] On May 10, AFF spokesman Nasrullah Fateh claimed an attack on Taliban forces in Kabul, killing three and wounding three Taliban fighters. [15]

On 4 June 2023, the AFF conducted an attack in Baglan province, resulting in two Taliban deaths and four injuries. [16]

On 4 July 2023, the AFF announced the killing of a Taliban member and the injuring of three other members in Kapisa Province. [17]

On August 9 2023, the AFF claimed a gun attack at the entrance of Faizabad Airport in northeastern Badakhshan province, killing one and wounding three Taliban fighters. [18] On August 12, the AFF reported an attack on Taliban forces in Kabul manning a checkpoint; five were killed and three Taliban fighters wounded. [19] In addition, AFF fighters raided a Taliban garrison in Baghlan province on Friday at 11:40 pm in the Pul-e-Madan, Pul Khumri with two Taliban fighters killed and four wounded. [20]

On August 17 2023, AFF fighters attacked Taliban forces at Kabul in the 11th district, killing four Taliban fighters and wounding six. [21] On August 18, 5 Taliban fighters were killed and three were injured in an AFF attack on Parwan. [22]

On September 1 2023, the AFF claimed they killed two Taliban fighters in Kabul's Shakardara district. [23]

On September 3 2023, the AFF reported two Taliban fighters killed in Laghman province. [24]

On December 5 2023, the AFF claimed that they have killed 50 Taliban fighters alongside the NRF. [25]

On December 6 2023, the AFF claimed to have attacked the Taliban governor's office in Panjshir province, killing at least two Taliban fighters. [26]

2024

On January 13, 2024, the AFF claimed to have attacked the Taliban Governor’s office in Panjshir province killing two Taliban fighters and injured another member during a rocket attack in the Tajik area of Jabal al-Sirāj district. [27]

On February 19, 2024, the AFF reported in two separate attacks on Taliban outposts, killing seven Taliban fighters and four others were wounded in Kabul. [28]

On February 21, 2024, the AFF had announced that forces attacked a Taliban outpost in the centre of Parwan province, killing one Taliban member and injuring two other members. [29]

On April 11 2024, AFF leader Yasin Zia and NRF leader Ahmad Massoud held their joint meeting and discussed the future strategy. [30]

On April 17, 2024, the AFF resumed guerilla attacks against Taliban targets. [31]

On April 20, 2024, the AFF Claims to have killed 3 Members of Taliban's Intelligence Agency in Kabul's District 2. [32]

On April 29, 2024, the AFF Claims to have been killed 4 Members of Taliban and two others had been injured during the attack in Kabul's Qoway Markaz area. [33]

On May 18, 2024, the AFF claims that have been killed 3 members of Taliban and injured another in the Attack On Group Leader Guards near Shah-Do Shamshira Mosque in Kabul. [34]

On May 21, 2024, the AFF claims that have been killed 2 members of Taliban and another were injured during the Attack checkpoint of the group’s Ministry of Defence near Karte Naw area in Kabul. [35]

On May 29, 2024, the AFF claims that a Taliban commander Fazluddin Osmani had been killed and 3 other Taliban members were injured in the attackan outpost of the Taliban’s Ministry of Interior in the Karte Naw area of Kabul. [36]

On May 30, 2024, the AFF announced resulted that killing 3 Taliban members and injured 5 others at the taliban convoy near the Barki traffic intersection in Kabul. [37]

On June 1, 2024, the AFF has claimed responsibility for an explosion in the Khair Khana area of Kabul, stating the attack resulted killing 2 Taliban members and injuries 3 others. [38]

On June 14, 2024, the AFF claimed for the responsibility attack in Kabul, stating 1 Taliban member killed and another was injured in the incident. [39]

On June 22, 2024, the AFF Claims that have killed 3 Taliban members in an attack on a Taliban military outpost in Panjshir province. [40]

On June 25, 2024, the NRF & AFF claimed that 7 Taliban fighters were killed in these attacks at the Taliban checkpoint outpost in Kabul. [41]

On July 1, 2024, during the end of the first day of the UN meeting in Doha, the AFF reported an attack on the Taliban in Kabul. [42]

On July 5, 2024, the AFF announced the viral video that killed 2 Taliban members and injured another in a guerrilla attack. [43]

On July 22, 2024, the AFF announced on Sunday evening that forces targeted "Mullah Zarin Gujar, the Taliban's head of transportation" in Baghlan province. According to the front, 2 Taliban members were "killed” during the attack, and there is "no precise information available" about the fate of Mullah Zarin. [44]

On July 23, 2024, the AFF stated members attacked a "convoy of Taliban intelligence militia" in the Karte Sakhi area of Kabul killing 4 Taliban members and another individual had been injured during the attack. [45]

On August 8, 2024, the AFF claimed that had conducted an attack killing 3 Taliban fighters in the incident on a Taliban checkpoint near Baraki Square in Kabul. [46]

On August 15, 2024, the 3rd anniversary of the Taliban's rule, the AFF has been declared that the time has come for unity, cohesion, and alignment among all anti-Taliban groups and forces. [47]

On August 19, 2024, the AFF claims that 4 Taliban members were killed and 1 was injured during the attack at Fourth Security District in Kabul. [48]

On 12 September 2024, the AFF claimed killing six Taliban fighters in Kabul and Balkh. [49]

On 5 October 2024, the AFF announced that killed 2 Taliban members and wounded another member of the group in targeted operation at Imam Sahib port in Kunduz province on 4 October 2024. [50]

On 19 October 2024, the AFF claims that killing 4 Taliban members during the attacked Taliban checkpoint at the entrance of the group's Interior Ministry on 18 October evening. [51]

On 20 October 2024, the AFF claimed to have attacked Kabul Airport with missiles and a small Infantry element on October 19. The front did not release casualty numbers, but stated they had inflicted heavy casualties and damaged Taliban aircraft under repair in the Airport. [52]

Leadership

According to Voice of America, former Chief of General Staff Afghanistan General Yasin Zia is reported to be one of the AFF's leaders. [53] He is reportedly working with NRF officials, including Ahmad Massoud to get weapons and support for an anti-Taliban front. [3] This includes traveling to get support for the AFF. [54] Daoud Naji is the head of the AFF political committee as of September 2024. [55]

AFF is also allied with National Resistance Council for the Salvation of Afghanistan; [56] which is led by Field Marshal Abdul Rashid Dostum, Atta Mohammad Noor, Mohammad Mohaqiq, Abdul Rab Rasul Sayyaf, Ismail Khan and other prominent Afghan Pashtun/Tajik/Uzbek/Hazara politicians in exile.

Locations

According to an AFF representative, the group is mobile, but operates in Salang valley in Parwan province; the Andarab and Khost-Farang districts in Baghlan province; the Ishkamish district in Takhar province as well as Sar-e-Pol, Nuristan, and Faryab provinces. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parwan Province</span> Province of Afghanistan

Parwan also spelled Parvan is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is the largest province of the Greater Parwan region and has a population of about 751,000. The province is multi-ethnic and mostly rural society. The province is divided into ten districts. The town of Imam Abu Hanifa serves as the provincial capital. The province is located north of Kabul Province and south of Baghlan Province, west of Panjshir Province and Kapisa Province, and east of Maidan Wardak Province and Bamyan Province. The province's famous tourism attraction is the Golghondi Hill, also known as “the flower hill,” located in Imam Azam about an hour away from the capital city of Kabul. After Panjshir this province has been considered as one of the main raising points of Afghanistan War against Soviets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Panjshir Province</span> Province of Afghanistan

Panjshir is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan, located in the northeastern part of the country containing the Panjshir Valley. The province is divided into seven districts and contains 512 villages. As of 2021, the population of Panjshir province was about 173,000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Panjshir Valley</span> Valley in northeastern Afghanistan

The Panjshir Valley, also spelled Panjsher, is a valley in northeastern Afghanistan, 150 kilometres (93 mi) north of Kabul, near the Hindu Kush mountain range. It is divided by the Panjshir River. The valley is home to more than 100,000 people, including Afghanistan's largest concentration of ethnic Tajiks as of 1997. In April 2004, it became the heart of the new Panjshir Province, having previously been part of Parwan Province. Politically, this province has been considered the start point of Afghanistan's Jihad period against the Soviets. This province is also the birthplace of Afghanistan's national hero, Ahmad Shah Massoud.

Mohammad Fahim Dashty was an Afghan journalist, politician and military official. In 2021, he served as spokesman of the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan during the Republican insurgency in Afghanistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taliban insurgency</span> Islamist Insurgency during the War in Afghanistan

The Taliban insurgency began after the group's fall from power during the 2001 War in Afghanistan. The Taliban forces fought against the Afghan government, led by President Hamid Karzai, and later by President Ashraf Ghani, and against a US-led coalition of forces that has included all members of NATO; the 2021 Taliban offensive resulted in the collapse of the government of Ashraf Ghani. The private sector in Pakistan extends financial aid to the Taliban, contributing to their financial sustenance.

Andarab is district located in the southern part of Baghlan Province, Afghanistan. The estimated population of Andarab in 2004 was roughly 120,642. The district centre is the village of Andarab, which is named after the Andarab valley in which it is located.

General Mohammad Panah was a Tajik Afghanistan military commander who was loyal to Ahmad Shah Massoud. Panah gained popularity after successfully fighting in Soviet incursions in the Panjsher Valley and northern areas of Afghanistan. Following the withdrawal of USSR forces from Afghanistan and the subsequent collapse of the communist regime in Kabul, Panah was a commander alongside Mohammad Fahim in the northern Kabul fronts; he fought the Hezb-e-islami, Hekmatyar, and the Taliban afterwards. He was killed in Paghman District during a Taliban offensive in Kabul.

The following lists events from 2014 in Afghanistan.

The following lists events that happened during 2016 in Afghanistan.

Events in the year 2017 in Afghanistan.

On 15 August 2018, Taliban fighters attacked an Afghan National Army base and police checkpoints in Baghlan Province, the fighting lasted five hours and resulted in the deaths of at least 36 soldiers and 9 policemen. The attack occurred the same day Kabul was struck by a suicide bombing that left 48 dead, and one day after a base was besieged in Faryab. Hundreds of Taliban fighters reportedly took part in the predawn attack according to anonymous Afghan police official, by the end, the base had been completely overrun. Only two soldiers survived the attack, causing Afghan officials to believe they were possibly involved

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Islamic State–Taliban conflict</span> 2015–present armed conflict in Afghanistan

The Islamic State–Taliban conflict is an ongoing insurgency by the Islamic State Khorasan Province (IS-KP) against the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. The conflict initially began when both operated as rival insurgent groups in Nangarhar; since the formation of the Taliban's state in 2021, IS-KP members have enacted a campaign of terrorism targeting both civilians and assassinating Taliban members using hit-and-run tactics. The group have also caused incidents and attacks across the border in Pakistan.

Events in the year 2020 in Afghanistan.

In May 2020, a series of insurgent attacks took place in Afghanistan, starting when the Taliban killed 20 Afghan soldiers and wounded 29 others in Zari, Balkh and Grishk, Helmand on 1 and 3 May, respectively. On 12 May, a hospital's maternity ward in Kabul and a funeral in Kuz Kunar (Khewa), Nangarhar were attacked, resulting in the deaths of 56 people and injuries of 148 others, including newborn babies, mothers, nurses, and mourners. ISIL–KP claimed responsibility for the funeral bombing, but no insurgent group claimed responsibility for the hospital shooting.

The August 2020 Afghanistan attacks were multiple attacks that occurred in August 2020. The attacks left at least 165 people dead, and another 177 were injured.

The year 2021 in Afghanistan was marked by a major offensive from the Taliban beginning in May and the Taliban capturing Kabul in August.

The National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRF), also known as the Second Resistance, is a military alliance of former Northern Alliance members and other anti-Taliban fighters loyal to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. The founder and president of NRF is Ahmad Massoud. When the Taliban captured Afghanistan on 15 August 2021, former first vice president Amrullah Saleh, citing provisions of the 2004 Constitution, declared himself the caretaker president of Afghanistan and announced the republican resistance against the Taliban. Saleh's claim to the presidency was endorsed by Ahmad Massoud, as well as by former Afghan Minister of Defence Bismillah Mohammadi, and the Afghan embassy in Tajikistan including its ambassador Mohammad Zahir Aghbar.

The republican insurgency in Afghanistan is an ongoing low-level guerrilla war between the National Resistance Front and allied groups which fight under the banner of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on one side, and the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan on the other side. On 17 August 2021, former first vice president of Afghanistan Amrullah Saleh declared himself the "caretaker" president of Afghanistan and announced the resistance. On 26 August, a brief ceasefire was declared. On 1 September, talks broke down and fighting resumed as the Taliban attacked resistance positions.

Protests in Afghanistan against the Taliban started on 17 August 2021 following the Fall of Kabul to the Taliban. These protests are held by Islamic democrats and feminists. Both groups are against the treatment of women by the Taliban government, considering it as discriminatory and misogynistic. Supported by the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan, the protesters also demand decentralization, multiculturalism, social justice, work, education, and food. There have been pro-Taliban counterprotests.

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