Abdul Jabar (Qala-i-Jangi captive)
Encyclopedia
Abdul Jabar was a captive who survived the Qala-i-Jangi prison riot
.
An article published in the New York Times described Abdul Jabar as a 26-year-old citizen of Uzbekistan
, from Tashkent
.
Abdul Jabar told the New York Times that he had been in Afghanistan's north for approximately a year prior to al Qaeda's attacks on America on September 11, 2001. He said he had been working in Kabul
working with the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan
—part of a group of 150 Uzbeks.
Jabar added that the uprising was a reaction to the Afghan Northern Alliance not honoring assurances it had made that foreigners who surrendered their weapons without resistance would be set free. He said the leader of his group, Juma Namangani, had led the uprising:
The Guardian reported that Namangani had been killed in combat prior to the group's surrender.
Jabar estimated that there had been approximately 400 prisoners prior to the uprising. Only 85 captives survived.
Jabar described hiding from Northern Alliance bombardment in ditches and trenches, and then crawling from the prison's courtyard to the basement. Authorities tried bombarding the building with cannon fire, with rocket fire. On November 29, 2001, authorities tried flooding the basement with burning fuel. He told the New York Times:
On December 1, 2001, Northern Alliance Commander Din Muhammad diverted irrigation canals to flood the basement:
The New York Times reported that survivors of the riot were loaded into industrial shipping containers, in order to be transported to a more secure facility.
It also stated that Abdul Jabar feared for his life if he were repatriated to Uzbekistan:
The Guardian reported that Jabar denounced al Qaeda's attacks on 9-11, and said the fighters had no grudge with the USA:
He was interrogated by Luke Harding, whom he told that "It was our commander who began the fighting", presumed to be a reference to Tahir Uldosh, who was believed to be killed in the uprising.
There is no record that Abdul Jabar was sent to the Guantanamo Bay detention camps, in Cuba
.
Battle of Qala-i-Jangi
The Battle of Qala-i-Jangi took place between November 25 and December 1, 2001, in Northern Afghanistan. It began with the uprising of foreign Taliban prisoners held at Qala-i-Jangi fortress, and escalated into one of the bloodiest engagements of the War in Afghanistan...
.
An article published in the New York Times described Abdul Jabar as a 26-year-old citizen of Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of the six independent Turkic states. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south....
, from Tashkent
Tashkent
Tashkent is the capital of Uzbekistan and of the Tashkent Province. The officially registered population of the city in 2008 was about 2.2 million. Unofficial sources estimate the actual population may be as much as 4.45 million.-Early Islamic History:...
.
Abdul Jabar told the New York Times that he had been in Afghanistan's north for approximately a year prior to al Qaeda's attacks on America on September 11, 2001. He said he had been working in Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
working with the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan
Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan
The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan is a militant Islamist group formed in 1991 by the Islamic ideologue Tahir Yuldashev, and former Soviet paratrooper Juma Namangani—both ethnic Uzbeks from the Fergana Valley...
—part of a group of 150 Uzbeks.
Jabar added that the uprising was a reaction to the Afghan Northern Alliance not honoring assurances it had made that foreigners who surrendered their weapons without resistance would be set free. He said the leader of his group, Juma Namangani, had led the uprising:
The Guardian reported that Namangani had been killed in combat prior to the group's surrender.
Jabar estimated that there had been approximately 400 prisoners prior to the uprising. Only 85 captives survived.
Jabar described hiding from Northern Alliance bombardment in ditches and trenches, and then crawling from the prison's courtyard to the basement. Authorities tried bombarding the building with cannon fire, with rocket fire. On November 29, 2001, authorities tried flooding the basement with burning fuel. He told the New York Times:
On December 1, 2001, Northern Alliance Commander Din Muhammad diverted irrigation canals to flood the basement:
The New York Times reported that survivors of the riot were loaded into industrial shipping containers, in order to be transported to a more secure facility.
It also stated that Abdul Jabar feared for his life if he were repatriated to Uzbekistan:
The Guardian reported that Jabar denounced al Qaeda's attacks on 9-11, and said the fighters had no grudge with the USA:
He was interrogated by Luke Harding, whom he told that "It was our commander who began the fighting", presumed to be a reference to Tahir Uldosh, who was believed to be killed in the uprising.
There is no record that Abdul Jabar was sent to the Guantanamo Bay detention camps, in Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
.