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| Afghanistan/South Asia |
| Commander's defection a big blow to Taliban |
| 2005-04-03 |
| Abdul Wahid, commonly known as Raees-i-Baghran, who has surrendered to the Afghan government, is one of the ranking Taliban military commanders to have laid down arms. His defection is a blow to the Taliban even though he was no longer active in the resistance movement against the US-led troops and the Afghan government. It would have a psychological effect and would demoralise Taliban fighters. Abdul Wahid hailed from Baghran area in the southwestern Helmand province. He is from a prominent landowning ruling family, hence the title Raees-i-Baghran (chief of Baghran). He was a known mujahideen commander fighting the Soviet occupation troops during the 1980s. Later, like everybody else he joined the Taliban and rose to prominent position in the movement. He also gained access to Taliban leader Mulla Mohammad Omar. There were reports that Abdul Wahid helped Mulla Omar to flee Kandahar after the fall of the Taliban regime in December 2001 and seek refuge in Baghran. The US military bombed Baghran following reports that Mulla Omar had been sighted there. A number of people were killed in these attacks but Mulla Omar couldn't be eliminated or captured. |
| Posted by:Fred |