The Taliban have published the movement's first military field manual detailing how to spring ambushes, run spies and conduct an insurgency against coalition forces in Afghanistan, The Daily Telegraph reported on Thursday. At 144 pages, Military Teachings - for the Preparation of Mujahideen, is a minutely detailed "how to" book on subjects ranging from tactics and weapons to building training camps and espionage.The guide, which is similar in its aims to British and American military field manuals, was obtained by The Daily Telegraph from a source in Pakistan who claimed to be close to the Taliban. Its cover bears the image of two crossed swords and the holy Quran, the arms of the Taliban's ousted government of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.
| The book "will soon be made available to the commanders in Afghanistan as well as its adjacent tribal areas in Pakistan", the source said. |
Maulana Nek Zaman, a MNA from North Waziristan, said the manual had a potentially large readership. "It is not a case of just Taliban who are fighting but all the tribes are resisting because they have been attacked," he said.
Last year the Taliban published a pocket-sized code of conduct which described suicide bombers as "Omar's missiles", referring to the Taliban's spiritual leader, Mullah Omar. It laid out the rules of daily life including a ban on relations with young boys ? an activity favoured by some Afghan fighters.
The military manual is divided into 10 chapters and appears to be the result of a collaboration between religious scholars and specialists in terrorist, logistical and intelligence tactics. It is illustrated with simple formulas for the preparation of explosives, pictures and diagrams of light and heavy weaponry, ammunition and communication equipment. The bulk of the manual details basic military skills such as firing positions and how to use different weapons.
| "In a situation where infidels and their crooks are ruling the world, it is the prime duty of all the Muslims to take arms and crush those who are bent upon crushing the Muslims throughout the world." |
It shows with diagrams how to target vehicles passing through rough terrain at low speed and how telegraph poles and trees can be used to range in on a target. It also explores methods of blowing up bridges, railway tracks and power and telephone lines.
Its preface sets out the Taliban's justification for war: "In a situation where infidels and their crooks are ruling the world, it is the prime duty of all the Muslims to take arms and crush those who are bent upon crushing the Muslims throughout the world. This is the best time to take on the usur