The fall of a number of districts to the Taliban and the fight over these districts between security forces and the Taliban have prompted thousands of Volunteer Forces (or Popular Uprising consists of civilians volunteering to take up arms against the Taliban) in various provinces to stand by the security forces and defend their areas.
Acting Minister of Defense Bismillah Mohammadi announced on Saturday that the main and spiritual owner of the defense and security forces is the people of Afghanistan. “I once again call on all my compatriots to continue their support for the defense and security forces,” Mr Mohammadi added. He also said that the security forces are the pillar of Afghanistan’s authority and stability, and that this pillar will remain stable with the collective support of the people.
The Ministry of Defense is calling on the people to support the security forces as thousands of Volunteer Forces are currently fighting the Taliban in various districts.
The Taliban have intensified their attacks in recent weeks. Currently, war is raging in more than 20 provinces. The spread of war in the districts has made the government and the people widely welcome the activities of the Volunteer Forces, but the concern is that after the war cools down, these Forces will not be managed properly. The Ministry of Defense, however, says it has a regular plan in place to manage the Popular Uprising.
Fawad Aman, Deputy spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense, said that the Popular Uprising forces had no criminal record and were fighting alongside the security forces. Mr. Aman added: “Their intention is good. They have taken up arms to defend themselves and their homeland. Most of these people are young and educated. There are people who worked in government and private institutions.” According to him, in Takhar, a number of religious scholars have also stood by the security forces and are fighting against the Taliban.
Fawad Aman stated that the Popular Uprising forces are working under the close management of the security agencies and there will be no concerns about their activities in the future.
For the first time, a Popular Uprising against the Taliban began in 2012 in the Andar district of Ghazni province and was welcomed by the government. As the fighting intensified, Popular Uprising in Herat, Takhar, Sar-e-Pul, Balkh, Herat, Uruzgan, Baghlan, Faryab and Jawzjan provinces took up arms and faught alongside security forces against the Taliban.
Most Jihadi leaders are responsible for leading and mobilizing these forces. To the north are Marshal Abdul Rashid Dastum, the former vice president, Atta Mohammad Noor, the former governor of Balkh, Mohammad Mohaqiq, the presidential adviser and leader of the Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan, and Abbas Ibrahimzada, the leader of the New Unity Party and the Balkh MP.
These figures have now pledged to stand by the security forces and the Popular Uprising with all their might.
The Ministry of Defense has also announced that it will provide all the necessary equipment and facilities to the Popular forces.
There is now a concern that if the facilities needed by the Popular Uprising forces are not provided in the future, some of them may cause problem to the people. In the past, there have been reports of local police (armed locals with the aim to provide security) extorting money in a number of areas.
In a report, the NATO Special Operations Command in Afghanistan confirmed the end of the local police funding program last summer. The fate of these forces was also unclear for some time, but later the government hired them to form a local army.
Shah Mahmood Miakhil, a former acting defense minister, says it is not in the government’s interest to create a parallel force alongside the security forces. Mr. Miakhil added that the security forces should be organized within the framework of the security forces. “The Taliban have not yet gained any advantage through war,” he said. “If the peace talks continue and the Taliban do not move forward through the talks, they will not be able to take over the republic.”
The Main Obstacle to the Taliban is the Popular Uprising
Ahmad Zia Masood, Deputy Leader of the Jamiat-e-Islami party, says the war with the Taliban is protracted and exhausting. Therefore, it requires that the method of war and defense be changed accordingly. According to Masood, the Taliban are currently trying to gain control of key districts, highways, ports and later on, the provinces. He added that the main obstacle to the Taliban’s sinister plan was Popular Uprisings against them, however, maintaining these forces is not regulated within the framework of the Ministries of Defense and Interior. Therefore, new departments under the name of “Ministry of Self-Defense” should be established as soon as possible.
Mr. Masood also said that in order to prevent the Taliban from infiltrating villages and districts, fighting them should be planned in the same areas and that the roads from villages to districts and from districts to provinces should be secured by armed local groups.
In addition, Mr. Masood has suggested that popular armed groups have full independence in waging war against the Taliban, and that the Ministry of Defense itself should be responsible for equipping and meeting the needs of these groups.
