Mullah Abdul Salam Baryalai Akhund (1968 – February 26, 2017) was a senior Taliban member. He was serving as the group's shadow governor for Kunduz Province before his death in February 2017.[1] He was reportedly also the group's senior military commander over a large portion of northern Afghanistan.[2]
Biography
editIn the 2000s, Salam served as the Deputy Minister of Education of the Taliban regime. He also held control over Jowzjan Province as a Taliban commander until 2008.[citation needed]
He was captured and arrested in Faisalabad, Pakistan, around February 2010.[3][4] He was set free in a negotiated prisoner release between the Afghan High Peace Council and the Pakistani government in 2013.
In October 2016, he was wounded during clashes with the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) in northern Kunduz Province, Afghanistan. According to sources, Abdul-Salam was injured during clashes with ANSF and was taken to a hospital in Char Dara District.[5]
It was reported on February 27, 2017, that Abdul-Salam and a number of his men were killed in a drone attack in Archi District, Kunduz Province.[6] The Taliban group soon confirmed his death.[1][7][8] Moussa al-Omar tweeted on his death.[9] The 2017 Camp Shaheen attack was reportedly a retaliation for his death.
References
edit- ^ a b "Senior Taliban leader killed in Kunduz air raid". Aljazeera. 27 February 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
- ^ Filkins, Dexter (2010-02-18). "In Blow to Taliban, 2 More Leaders Are Arrested". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
- ^ "Another Taliban leader captured - CNN.com". Retrieved 2017-01-23.
- ^ "BBC News - Afghan Taliban chiefs 'held in Pakistan'". news.bbc.co.uk. 19 February 2010. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
- ^ "Taliban's shadow governor for Kunduz killed during clashes". The Khaama Press News Agency. 6 October 2016.
- ^ Roggio, Bill (February 27, 2017). "Taliban confirms death of Kunduz shadow governor". Long War Journal. Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
- ^ "Afghan President: Taliban shadow governor killed in Kunduz". ABC News. February 27, 2017. Retrieved 2017-02-27.
- ^ "New video message from the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan: "The Martyr Mullā 'Abd al-Salām Akhūnd"". Jihadology. March 1, 2017.
- ^ العمر, موسى (27 Feb 2017). "A US air strike kills Mullah Abdul Salam Akhund, governor of Kunduz province, commander of the fighters of the Emirate of Afghanistan (غارة جوية أمريكية تقتل الملا عبد السلام آخند حاكم ولاية "قندوز" قائد مقاتلي إمارة #أفغانستان_الإسلامية)". Twitter.