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Abdul Matin (Taliban leader)
Encyclopedia
Mullah
Abdul Matin (c. 1960 - 18 February 2008) was a
Taliban leader in Afghanistan
who was killed in combat in the Gereshk
region of Helmand Province
.
In 2007, Mullah Matin became the governor of Musa Qala District
, which had come under Taliban control, following the breakdown of a truce between the insurgents and the coalition. From there he launched ambushes and suicide attacks against coalition and Afghan government targets in Northern Helmand. In December 2007, he narrowly avoided capture during Operation Mar Kardad, the offensive undertaken by coalition and Afghan forces to recapture Musa Qala.
On 18 February 2008, Mullah Matin and one of his sub-commanders, Mullah Karim Agha, were travelling through the desert on motorbikes when they were ambushed and killed by British
Special Boat Service
commandos inserted by helicopter. He was thought to have been responsible for the deaths of two British soldiers and of dozens of Afghan civilians.
Mullah
Mullah is generally used to refer to a Muslim man, educated in Islamic theology and sacred law. The title, given to some Islamic clergy, is derived from the Arabic word مَوْلَى mawlā , meaning "vicar", "master" and "guardian"...
Abdul Matin (c. 1960 - 18 February 2008) was a
Taliban leader in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
who was killed in combat in the Gereshk
Gereshk
Gereshk is a town in Gerishk District in Helmand province on the Helmand River in central Afghanistan, some northwest of Kandahar at 817 m altitude. Gereshk is the centre of a rich agricultural region with the Kajakai dam upriver diverting water to the Boghra Irrigation Canal. Gereshk was...
region of Helmand Province
Helmand Province
Helmand is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country. Its capital is Lashkar Gah. The Helmand River flows through the mainly desert region, providing water for irrigation....
.
In 2007, Mullah Matin became the governor of Musa Qala District
Musa Qala District
Musa Qala is a district in the north of Helmand Province, Afghanistan.Its population, which is 97% Pashtun, was 50,300 in 2005. The district centre is the village of Musa Qala; there are 19 other large villages and 200 smaller settlements, mostly along the Musa Qala River.In an effort to shoot at...
, which had come under Taliban control, following the breakdown of a truce between the insurgents and the coalition. From there he launched ambushes and suicide attacks against coalition and Afghan government targets in Northern Helmand. In December 2007, he narrowly avoided capture during Operation Mar Kardad, the offensive undertaken by coalition and Afghan forces to recapture Musa Qala.
On 18 February 2008, Mullah Matin and one of his sub-commanders, Mullah Karim Agha, were travelling through the desert on motorbikes when they were ambushed and killed by British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Special Boat Service
Special Boat Service
The Special Boat Service is the special forces unit of the British Royal Navy. Together with the Special Air Service, Special Reconnaissance Regiment and the Special Forces Support Group they form the United Kingdom Special Forces and come under joint control of the same Director Special...
commandos inserted by helicopter. He was thought to have been responsible for the deaths of two British soldiers and of dozens of Afghan civilians.