Sher Mohammed Akhundzada
Encyclopedia
Sher Mohammed Akhundzada (also known as Sher Ahmed Akhundzada) is a tribal leader who was the governor of Helmand Province
in Afghanistan
from 2001 to 2005.
district in northern Helmand.
While in the new districts of Nad Ali
and Nawa
, where farmers tended to be immigrants from mixed tribal backgrounds and tribal rhetoric had little impact, in the other districts tribal networks remained much more solid, especially in the north. It was first Mullah Mohammad Nasim Akhundzada who became a prominent and leading Jihadi commander in Helmand. The information available on Nasim is contradictory. He appears to have been a charismatic military leader, who could count on a large number of devoted fighters. He is still seen as having led many successful battles against the Russians
and Afghan government forces.
Consequently he was able to clear most areas of Helmand, Oruzgan, Farah
and Kandahar
(Southern Afghanistan) from Red Army
and their partners.
After defeating the Red Army
, he announced to take steps in eliminating illicit poppy cultivation in the area calling its usage as illegal in Islam
and reasoning its cultivation for negatively affecting the society. At that point, Afghanistan
was the core attention point of the International Community
and hence his step of eliminating poppy was highly appreciated.
Lately he was appointed Commander in Chief (Loy Drastiz) of Mujahidin National Army at the Mujahidin Interim Government by the Mujahidin Leaders as per the conference of the Peshawar
.
The aforementioned issue of poppy rose the oppositions of universal mafia, drug-traffickers and national warlords (smuggler)s against him. simultaneously he arrived to Peshawar
and assaults for killing him were successful on 25-march-1990 with one of his leading commanders Haji Nazar Mohammad of Musa Qala
.
His elder brother Major General Haji Mohammd Rasul Akhundzada was chosen as his alternative leader of his army. He was able to capture Lashkar Gah city center of Helmand and was later selected as governor of this province on 13-June-1393 by the central (Kabul
) government.
Besides pursuing the manner of Nasim Akhundzada and paying a special attention for the basis remained from previous governments, Rasul Akhundzada attempted for the gas pipeline projects going to Pakistan
from Turkmenistan
through Afghanistan
which could provide a special beneficiary to Afghan government and specially South West region of the country.
He used to have the authority of all southwest region under the coverage of his mandate. He died on 5-sep-1994 due to the cancer sickness he already had.
After him, his younger brother Mola Ghafaar Akhundzada was selected as Helmand governor on 6th Dec- 1994. He was shoot by unknown warlords on 18th march 2000 in Quetta
City of Pakistan
.
Their family series has been disconnected from the government until the Talibans got defeated by present afghan government in support of foreign forces.
in 2000 following the assassination of his brother, the previous Helmand Governor, in Quetta
.
This was the time when son of Mohammad Rasul Akhundzada, Alhaj Sher Mohammad Akhundzada came up with a strong tribal force to Afghanistan
and became alternative of his father (Helmand governor) in an occasion that Helmand was a strong base of support for the Taliban in the previous years and felt crucial need in order to regenerate its previous status.
Installed as Helmand governor, he has contributed considerable positive changes particularly in security, education and development which were the top priority requirements. Numbers around 114,000 students (19,000 female) and 2500 teachers (260 female) are estimated as of his leadership time, the unprecedented progress Helmand witnessed in the history of education.
With strong potential of arable lands in, Helmand suffered with cultivation of narcotics once again since the fall of the Taliban and Akhundzada took into account this issue as one of his top priorities as concerns raised from the International Community
and Afghan Government on poppy cultivation in Helmand. He launched to stop poppy cultivation in across the country and due to his decisive progress in eliminating poppy cultivation, he achieved a preferential certificate from the Afghan President Hamid Karzai
requested by the Ministry of Counter Narcotics.
In general, the period of his leadership in Helmand covered all of the province with high security, peace and stability despite the international military assistance. All this was achieved as a result of maintaining the tribal balance and equitable rights of the communities.
Talking to journalists in Kabul
, Shir Muhammad Akhundzada claimed that while he was governor of Helmand for four years, NATO did not drop a single bomb on the province, no civilians were killed, and no districts fell to the Taliban. “If I were still there, I am sure things would be the same as before.”
He has also identified some fundamental agricultural projects to be implemented in Helmand such as excavation of a canal from Kajaki
dam to irrigate northern Helmand, construction of an intake on Musa Qala River
to irrigate the arable lands and generate electricity, construction of an intake on Helmand river in Kamal Khan to irrigate the unproductive farms which could basically improve lives of the people of Helmand and Nimroz provinces.
Considering the current conditions of Helmand, Afghan politicians and local tribal leaders believe that not only central government and the International Community took these requests into account, but furthermore he has been moved away as result of the attempts of national and international Mafia via accusing him in holding strong links with drug traffickers. They also express the current situation of South and in particular Helmand as the target point of mentioned Mafia. The area is today's most violent, least developed and insecure site on the earth and thousands of foreign military forces are there to bring peace and stability in the area.
Pakistan
's Inter-Services Intelligence
(ISI
) is widely rumored to have made strong links with Taliban for interference in Afghanistan
which has first started to operate in Urozgan, a province bordered with Helmand in the North-East. The Mafia along with the ISI
linked Taliban targeted to win Helmand and Kandahar
, their previous base and capital city due to the strategic location these provinces own.
He was finally replaced by the president on account of much pressure of foreigners.
Akhundzada and Ahmed Wali Karzai
, a half-brother of the incumbent president, were accused of buying up voter registration cards in 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 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...
from 2001 to 2005.
Background
He is from the Akhundzadas family in Northern Helmand who played an important role from the very beginning of the local response to the Communist Party (Hizb-i Demokratik-e Khalq (HDK)) "revolution" in the southwest. Belonging to main tribe of Helmand, the Alizais, they hailed from Musa QalaMusa Qala
Musa Qala is a town and the district center of Musa Qala District in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, at and at 1043 m altitude in the valley of Musa Qala River in the central western part of the district. Its population has been reported in the British press to be both 2,000 and 20,000...
district in northern Helmand.
While in the new districts of Nad Ali
Nad Ali
The bazaar of Nad Ali is located on at 794 m altitude. It is in Helmand Province.Operation Enduring Freedom:...
and Nawa
Nawa
Nawa may refer to:* Nawa, Rajasthan, a city and Tehsil in Nagaur district in the Indian State of Rajasthan.* Nawa District, a district in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan* Nawa, Tottori, a town in Saihaku District, Tottori, Japan* Nawa, Syria, a city in Syria...
, where farmers tended to be immigrants from mixed tribal backgrounds and tribal rhetoric had little impact, in the other districts tribal networks remained much more solid, especially in the north. It was first Mullah Mohammad Nasim Akhundzada who became a prominent and leading Jihadi commander in Helmand. The information available on Nasim is contradictory. He appears to have been a charismatic military leader, who could count on a large number of devoted fighters. He is still seen as having led many successful battles against the Russians
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
and Afghan government forces.
Consequently he was able to clear most areas of Helmand, Oruzgan, Farah
Farah
-Given name:* Farah Pahlavi , née Dibah, the last Empress of Iran* Farah , a Bollywood actress of 80s* Farah Hussain, Pakistani actress and presenter* Farah Khan, Indian choreographer and director...
and Kandahar
Kandahar
Kandahar is the second largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 512,200 as of 2011. It is the capital of Kandahar Province, located in the south of the country at about 1,005 m above sea level...
(Southern Afghanistan) from Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
and their partners.
After defeating the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
, he announced to take steps in eliminating illicit poppy cultivation in the area calling its usage as illegal in Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
and reasoning its cultivation for negatively affecting the society. At that point, 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...
was the core attention point of the International Community
International community
The international community is a term used in international relations to refer to all peoples, cultures and governments of the world or to a group of them. The term is used to imply the existence of common duties and obligations between them...
and hence his step of eliminating poppy was highly appreciated.
Lately he was appointed Commander in Chief (Loy Drastiz) of Mujahidin National Army at the Mujahidin Interim Government by the Mujahidin Leaders as per the conference of the Peshawar
Peshawar
Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
.
The aforementioned issue of poppy rose the oppositions of universal mafia, drug-traffickers and national warlords (smuggler)s against him. simultaneously he arrived to Peshawar
Peshawar
Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
and assaults for killing him were successful on 25-march-1990 with one of his leading commanders Haji Nazar Mohammad of Musa Qala
Musa Qala
Musa Qala is a town and the district center of Musa Qala District in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, at and at 1043 m altitude in the valley of Musa Qala River in the central western part of the district. Its population has been reported in the British press to be both 2,000 and 20,000...
.
His elder brother Major General Haji Mohammd Rasul Akhundzada was chosen as his alternative leader of his army. He was able to capture Lashkar Gah city center of Helmand and was later selected as governor of this province on 13-June-1393 by the central (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...
) government.
Besides pursuing the manner of Nasim Akhundzada and paying a special attention for the basis remained from previous governments, Rasul Akhundzada attempted for the gas pipeline projects going to Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
from Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan , formerly also known as Turkmenia is one of the Turkic states in Central Asia. Until 1991, it was a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic . Turkmenistan is one of the six independent Turkic states...
through 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...
which could provide a special beneficiary to Afghan government and specially South West region of the country.
He used to have the authority of all southwest region under the coverage of his mandate. He died on 5-sep-1994 due to the cancer sickness he already had.
After him, his younger brother Mola Ghafaar Akhundzada was selected as Helmand governor on 6th Dec- 1994. He was shoot by unknown warlords on 18th march 2000 in Quetta
Quetta
is the largest city and the provincial capital of the Balochistan Province of Pakistan. Known as the "Fruit Garden of Pakistan" due to the diversity of its plant and animal wildlife, Quetta is home to the Hazarganji Chiltan National Park, which contains some of the rarest species of wildlife in the...
City of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
.
Their family series has been disconnected from the government until the Talibans got defeated by present afghan government in support of foreign forces.
Governor of Helmand
Sher Mohammed Akhundzada was appointed as Governor by the Afghan President Hamid KarzaiHamid Karzai
Hamid Karzai, GCMG is the 12th and current President of Afghanistan, taking office on 7 December 2004. He became a dominant political figure after the removal of the Taliban regime in late 2001...
in 2000 following the assassination of his brother, the previous Helmand Governor, in Quetta
Quetta
is the largest city and the provincial capital of the Balochistan Province of Pakistan. Known as the "Fruit Garden of Pakistan" due to the diversity of its plant and animal wildlife, Quetta is home to the Hazarganji Chiltan National Park, which contains some of the rarest species of wildlife in the...
.
This was the time when son of Mohammad Rasul Akhundzada, Alhaj Sher Mohammad Akhundzada came up with a strong tribal force to 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...
and became alternative of his father (Helmand governor) in an occasion that Helmand was a strong base of support for the Taliban in the previous years and felt crucial need in order to regenerate its previous status.
Installed as Helmand governor, he has contributed considerable positive changes particularly in security, education and development which were the top priority requirements. Numbers around 114,000 students (19,000 female) and 2500 teachers (260 female) are estimated as of his leadership time, the unprecedented progress Helmand witnessed in the history of education.
With strong potential of arable lands in, Helmand suffered with cultivation of narcotics once again since the fall of the Taliban and Akhundzada took into account this issue as one of his top priorities as concerns raised from the International Community
International community
The international community is a term used in international relations to refer to all peoples, cultures and governments of the world or to a group of them. The term is used to imply the existence of common duties and obligations between them...
and Afghan Government on poppy cultivation in Helmand. He launched to stop poppy cultivation in across the country and due to his decisive progress in eliminating poppy cultivation, he achieved a preferential certificate from the Afghan President Hamid Karzai
Hamid Karzai
Hamid Karzai, GCMG is the 12th and current President of Afghanistan, taking office on 7 December 2004. He became a dominant political figure after the removal of the Taliban regime in late 2001...
requested by the Ministry of Counter Narcotics.
In general, the period of his leadership in Helmand covered all of the province with high security, peace and stability despite the international military assistance. All this was achieved as a result of maintaining the tribal balance and equitable rights of the communities.
Talking to journalists 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...
, Shir Muhammad Akhundzada claimed that while he was governor of Helmand for four years, NATO did not drop a single bomb on the province, no civilians were killed, and no districts fell to the Taliban. “If I were still there, I am sure things would be the same as before.”
He has also identified some fundamental agricultural projects to be implemented in Helmand such as excavation of a canal from Kajaki
Kajaki
Kajaki is a village in southern Afghanistan, and is split between two townsteads, Kajaki 'Olya, and Kajaki Sofla. It is the district centre of Kajaki District in Helmand Province. North east of the village is an important hydro power station for electricity and irrigation projects, the Kajaki Dam...
dam to irrigate northern Helmand, construction of an intake on Musa Qala River
Musa Qala River
The Musa Qala is a river in Afghanistan. It is supporting the Helmand River and highly participates in the irrigation of arable lands of the district it is about 5 kilo meters crossing the district from east to west....
to irrigate the arable lands and generate electricity, construction of an intake on Helmand river in Kamal Khan to irrigate the unproductive farms which could basically improve lives of the people of Helmand and Nimroz provinces.
Considering the current conditions of Helmand, Afghan politicians and local tribal leaders believe that not only central government and the International Community took these requests into account, but furthermore he has been moved away as result of the attempts of national and international Mafia via accusing him in holding strong links with drug traffickers. They also express the current situation of South and in particular Helmand as the target point of mentioned Mafia. The area is today's most violent, least developed and insecure site on the earth and thousands of foreign military forces are there to bring peace and stability in the area.
Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
's Inter-Services Intelligence
Inter-Services Intelligence
The Directorate for Inter-Services Intelligence , is Pakistan's premier intelligence agency, responsible for providing critical national security intelligence assessment to the Government of Pakistan...
(ISI
ISI
ISI or Isi may refer to:* İsi, a village and municipality in the Masally Rayon of Azerbaijan-Organizations:* Bureau of Indian Standards, previously the Indian Standards Institute, the national Standards Body of India...
) is widely rumored to have made strong links with Taliban for interference 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...
which has first started to operate in Urozgan, a province bordered with Helmand in the North-East. The Mafia along with the ISI
ISI
ISI or Isi may refer to:* İsi, a village and municipality in the Masally Rayon of Azerbaijan-Organizations:* Bureau of Indian Standards, previously the Indian Standards Institute, the national Standards Body of India...
linked Taliban targeted to win Helmand and Kandahar
Kandahar
Kandahar is the second largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 512,200 as of 2011. It is the capital of Kandahar Province, located in the south of the country at about 1,005 m above sea level...
, their previous base and capital city due to the strategic location these provinces own.
He was finally replaced by the president on account of much pressure of foreigners.
Reinstatement
In 2008, Karzai spoke out in favour of Akhundzada's return, saying “We removed Akhundzada on the allegation of drug-running, and delivered the province to drug runners, the Taliban, to terrorists, to a threefold increase of drugs and poppy cultivation ... Now there are hundreds of tons of heroin in basements across Helmand” However, Britain threatened to withdraw their army from Afghanistan if Akhundzada was reinstated.2009 Presidential election
During the 2009 presidential electionAfghan presidential election, 2009
The 2009 presidential election in Afghanistan was characterized by lack of security, low voter turnout and widespread ballot stuffing, intimidation, and other electoral fraud....
Akhundzada and Ahmed Wali Karzai
Ahmed Wali Karzai
Ahmed Wali Karzai was a prominent politician in Afghanistan and the younger paternal half-brother of Afghan President Hamid Karzai and son of Abdul Ahad Karzai. As an elder of the Popalzai Pashtun tribe, he was elected to the Kandahar Provincial Council in 2005 and served as its chairman. Karzai...
, a half-brother of the incumbent president, were accused of buying up voter registration cards in 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....
.