Ismail Khan

Mohammad Ismail Khan (Dari/Pashto: ‫)محمد اسماعیل خان‬

Ismail Khan
(born 1946) is an Afghan former politician who served as Minister
of Energy and Water from 2005 to 2013 and before that served as
the governor of Herat Province. Originally a captain in the national
army, he is widely known as a former warlord as he controlled a
large mujahideen force, mainly his fellow Tajiks from western
Afghanistan, during the Soviet–Afghan War.[1]

His reputation gained him the nickname Lion of Herat.[2] Ismail

Khan was a key member of the now exiled political party Jamiat-e
Islami and of the now defunct United National Front party.[3] In
2021, Ismail Khan returned to arms to help defend Herat from the
Taliban's offensive, which he and the Afghan Army lost.[4] He was
then captured by the Taliban forces[5][6][7] and then reportedly fled Ismail Khan at the 2010 National
to Iran on 16 August 2021.[8][9] Conference on Water Resources,
Development and Management of
Afghanistan
Early years and rise to power Minister of Energy and Water

Khan was born in or about 1946 in the Shindand District of Herat In office
Province in Afghanistan. His family is from the Chahar-Mahal 2004 – October 2013
neighbourhood of Shindand. President Hamid Karzai
Succeeded by Mohammad Arif
In early 1979 Ismail Khan was a Captain in the Afghan National
Army based in the western city of Herat. In early March of that Noorzai
year, there was a protest in front of the Communist governor's Governor of Herat Province
palace against the arrests and assassinations being carried out in the In office
countryside by the Khalq government. The governor's troops 2001 – 12 September 2004
opened fire on the demonstrators, who proceeded to storm the
President Hamid Karzai
palace and hunt down Soviet advisers. The Herat garrison
mutinied and joined the revolt in what is called the Herat uprising, Preceded by Mulla Yaar
with Ismail Khan and other officers distributing all available Mohammad
weapons to the insurgents. The government led by Nur
Succeeded by Sayed
Mohammed Taraki responded, pulverizing the city using Soviet
Mohammad
supplied bombers and killing up to 24,000 citizens in less than a
Khairkhah
week.[10] This event marked the opening salvo of the rebellion
which led to the Soviet military intervention in Afghanistan in In office
December 1979. Ismail Khan escaped to the countryside where he 1992–1997
began to assemble a local rebel force.[11] Succeeded by Mullah Yaar
Mohammad
During the ensuing war, he became the leader of the western
command of Burhanuddin Rabbani's Jamiat-e-Islami, political Personal details
party. With Ahmad Shah Massoud, he was one of the most Born 1946 (age 76–77)
respected mujahideen leaders.[10] In 1992, three years after the Shindand, Herat
Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan, the mujahideen captured
Province,
Herat and Ismail Khan became governor.
In 1995, he successfully defended his province against the Taliban, Kingdom of
in cooperation with defense minister Ahmad Shah Massoud. Khan Afghanistan
even tried to attack the Taliban stronghold of Kandahar, but was
Political party Jamiat-e-Islami
repulsed. Later in September, an ally of the Jamiat, Uzbek General
Abdul Rashid Dostum changed sides, and attacked Herat. Ismail Military service
Khan was forced to flee to neighboring Iran with 8,000 men and Allegiance Afghan Army
the Taliban took over Herat Province. (1979)

Two years later, while organizing opposition to the Taliban in Years of 1967-1979
Faryab area, he was betrayed and captured by Abdul Majid Rouzi service
who had defected to the Taliban along with Abdul Malik Rank Captain
Pahlawan, then one of Dostum's deputies.[10] Then in March 1999
Battles/wars War in Afghanistan
he escaped from Kandahar prison. During the U.S. intervention in
Afghanistan, he fought against the Taliban within the United 1979 Herat
Islamic Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan (Northern Alliance) uprising
and thus regained his position as Governor of Herat after they
were victorious in December 2001. Soviet–Afghan
War

Karzai administration and return to United States

invasion of
Afghanistan Afghanistan

After returning to Herat, Ismail Khan quickly consolidated his 2001

control over the region. He took over control of the city from the uprising in
local ulema and quickly established control over the trade route Herat
between Herat and Iran, a large source of revenue. [12] As Emir of 2021 Taliban
Herat, Ismail Khan exercised great autonomy, providing social offensive
welfare for Heratis, expanding his power into neighbouring (POW)
provinces, and maintaining direct international contacts.[13]
Although hated by the educated in Herat and often accused of
human rights abuses, Ismail Khan's regime provided security, paid government employees, and made
investments in public services.[14] However, during his tenure as governor, Ismail Khan was accused of
ruling his province like a private fiefdom, leading to increasing tensions with the Afghan Transitional
Administration. In particular, he refused to pass on to the government the revenues gained from custom
taxes on goods from Iran and Turkmenistan.

On 13 August 2003, President Karzai removed Governor Ismail Khan from his command of the 4th Corps.
This was announced as part of a programme removing the ability of officials to hold both civilian and
military posts.

Ismail Khan was ultimately removed from power in March 2004 due to pressure by neighbouring warlords
and the central Afghan government. Various sources have presented different versions of the story, and the
exact dynamics cannot be known with certainty. What is known is that Ismail Khan found himself at odds
with a few regional commanders who, although theoretically his subordinates, attempted to remove him
from power. Ismail Khan claims that these efforts began with a botched assassination attempt. Afterwards,
these commanders moved their forces near Herat. Ismail Khan, unpopular with the Herati military class,
was slow to mobilise his forces, perhaps waiting for the threat to Herat to become existential as a means to
motivate his forces. However, the conflict was stopped with the intervention of International Security
Assistance Force forces and soldiers of the Afghan National Army, freezing the conflict in its tracks. Ismail
Khan's forces even fought skirmishes with the Afghan National Army, in which his son, Mirwais Sadiq
was killed. Because Ismail Khan was contained by the Afghan National Army, the warlords who opposed
him were quickly able to occupy strategic locations unopposed. Ismail Khan was forced to give up his
governorship and to go to Kabul, where he served in Hamid Karzai's cabinet as the Minister of Energy.[15]

In 2005 Ismail Khan became the Minister of Water and Energy.

In late 2012, the Government of Afghanistan accused Ismail Khan of illegally distributing weapons to his
supporters.[16] About 40 members of the country's Parliament requested Ismail Khan to answer their
queries. The government believes that Khan is attempting to create some kind of disruption in the
country.[1][17]

Assassination attempt
On September 27, 2009, Ismail Khan survived a suicide blast that killed 4 of his bodyguards in Herat, in
western Afghanistan. He was driving to Herat Airport when a powerful explosion occurred on the way
there. Taliban spokesman, Zabiullah Mujahid, claimed responsibility and said the target was Khan.[18]

Testimony requested by a Guantanamo captive

Guantanamo captive Abdul Razzaq Hekmati requested Ismail Khan's testimony, when he was called before
a Combatant Status Review Tribunal.[19] Ismail Khan, like Afghan Minister of Defense Rahim Wardak,
was one of the high-profile Afghans that those conducting the Tribunals ruled were "not reasonably
available" to give a statement on a captive's behalf because they could not be located.

Hekmati had played a key role in helping Ismail Khan escape from the Taliban in 1999.[20] Hekmati stood
accused of helping Taliban leaders escape from the custody of Hamid Karzai's government.

Carlotta Gall and Andy Worthington interviewed Ismail Khan for a new The New York Times article after
Hekmati died of cancer in Guantanamo.[20] According to the New York Times Ismail Khan said he
personally buttonholed the American ambassador to tell him that Hekmati was innocent, and should be
released. In contrast, Hekmati was told that the State Department had been unable to locate Khan.

2021 Taliban offensive and capture

In July 2021, Ismail Khan mobilized hundreds of his loyalists in Herat in support of the Afghan Armed
Forces to defend the city from an offensive by the Taliban.[21] Despite this, the city fell on 12 August
2021.[22][23][24] After trying to escape by helicopter, Khan was captured by the Taliban.[22][23][24] The
Taliban interviewed him shortly after and claimed that he and his forces have joined them.[24][25] After
negotiating with the Taliban, he was allowed to return to his residence.[26]

After leaving Taliban custody, as of August 2021 Khan is living in Mashhad, Iran.[27] He said that a
conspiracy was responsible for Herat being captured by the Taliban.[28]

Controversy
Ismail Khan is a controversial figure. Reporters Without Borders has charged him with muzzling the press
and ordering attacks on journalists.[29] Also Human Rights Watch has accused him of human rights
abuses.[30]
Nevertheless, he remains a popular figure for some in Afghanistan. Unlike other mujahideen commanders,
Khan has not been linked to large-scale massacres and atrocities such as those committed after the capture
of Kabul in 1992.[10] Following news of his dismissal, rioting broke out in the streets of Herat, and
President Karzai had to ask him to make a personal appeal for calm.[31]

Notes and references

1. "Afghan warlord's call to arms rattles officials" (http://in.news.yahoo.com/afghan-warlords-cal
l-arms-rattles-officials-222417768.html).
2. "Afghan warlord Ismail Khan, known as 'Lion of Herat', detained by Taliban as his city falls to
insurgents" (https://www.firstpost.com/world/afghan-warlord-ismail-khan-known-as-lion-of-he
rat-detained-by-taliban-as-his-city-falls-to-insurgents-9884211.html). 13 August 2021.
3. Williams, Brian Glyn (2012). Afghanistan declassified : a guide to America's longest war
(1st ed.). University of Pennsylvania Press: Philadelphia, 2011. pp. 29–30.
ISBN 9780812206159. OCLC 793012539 (https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/793012539).
4. "On the front line in Afghanistan with Ismail Khan, the 'Lion of Herat' " (https://www.independ
ent.co.uk/asia/south-asia/afghanistan-herat-khan-battle-taliban-b1899576.html).
Independent.co.uk. 9 August 2021.
5. Hassan, Sharif (13 August 2021). "An Afghan warlord who steadfastly resisted the Taliban
surrendered. Others may follow his lead" (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/13/world/asia/af
ghanistan-mohammad-ismail-khan.html). The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331 (https://ww
w.worldcat.org/issn/0362-4331). Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20210813134625/htt
ps://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/13/world/asia/afghanistan-mohammad-ismail-khan.html)
from the original on 13 August 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
6. "Former Herat governor and Afghan chief Ismail Khan has joined the Taliban with
supporters" (https://nationworldnews.com/former-herat-governor-and-afghan-chief-ismail-kh
an-has-joined-the-taliban-with-supporters/). Nation World News. 13 August 2021. Archived
(https://web.archive.org/web/20210813145945/https://nationworldnews.com/former-herat-go
vernor-and-afghan-chief-ismail-khan-has-joined-the-taliban-with-supporters/) from the
original on 13 August 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
7. "Ismail Khan joins Islamic Emirate with all his supporters and troops – Islamic Emirate of
Afghanistan" (https://web.archive.org/web/20210817071617/https://alemarahenglish.net/?p=
48408). Archived from the original (https://alemarahenglish.net/?p=48408) on 17 August
2021. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
8. Jaafari, Shirin (16 August 2021). "Former warlord Ismail Khan led a militia against the
Taliban. He spoke to The World days before Afghans lost the fight" (https://www.pri.org/storie
s/2021-08-16/former-warlord-ismail-khan-led-militia-against-taliban-he-spoke-world-days).
The World. Cambridge, MA: Public Radio Exchange.
9. "The Taleban leadership converges on Kabul as remnants of the republic reposition
themselves" (https://www.afghanistan-analysts.org/en/reports/war-and-peace/the-taleban-le
adership-converges-on-kabul-as-the-remnants-of-the-republic-try-to-reposition-themselves/).
Afghanistan Analysts Network - English. 19 August 2021.
10. Ismail Khan, Herat, and Iranian Influence by Thomas H. Johnson, Strategic Insights, Volume
III, Issue 7 (July 2004)[1] (http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA485209) Archived
(https://web.archive.org/web/20130719090418/http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=A
DA485209) 2013-07-19 at the Wayback Machine
11. Coll, Steve. Ghost Wars. pg 40. 2004, Penguin Books.
12. Johnson, C. & Leslie, J. "Afghanistan: The Mirage of Peace", New York: Zed Books, 2008.
p47-69, 180.
13. Johnson, C. & Leslie, J. "Afghanistan: The Mirage of Peace", New York: Zed Books, 2008.
p180.
14. Johnson, C. & Leslie, J. "Afghanistan: The Mirage of Peace", New York: Zed Books, 2008.
p69.
15. Giustozzi, A. "Empires of Mud: Wars and Warlords in Afghanistan", London: Hurst & Co.,
2009. p259.
16. GRAHAM BOWLEY (12 November 2012). "Afghan Warlord's Call to Arms Rattles Officials"
(https://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/13/world/asia/ismail-khan-powerful-afghan-stokes-concer
n-in-kabul.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0). The New York Times. Archived (https://web.arc
hive.org/web/20180803074053/https://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/13/world/asia/ismail-khan-
powerful-afghan-stokes-concern-in-kabul.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0) from the original
on 3 August 2018. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
17. MPs launch signature campaign to summon Khan (http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2012/11/15/
mps-launch-signature-campaign-summon-khan) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/2015
0531222140/http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2012/11/15/mps-launch-signature-campaign-sum
mon-khan) 2015-05-31 at the Wayback Machine, Pajhwok Afghan News. November 15,
2012.
18. "Rocket attack over border kills 4 Afghan children - Yahoo! News" (https://news.yahoo.com/
s/ap/as_afghanistan). Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20110617222549/http://news.ya
hoo.com/s/ap/as_afghanistan) from the original on 17 June 2011. Retrieved 14 January
2017.
19. Murphy, Brett (18 June 2006). "Guantanamo Bay detainees not given access to witnesses
despite availability" (https://web.archive.org/web/20060620023938/http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/p
aperchase/2006/06/guantanamo-bay-detainees-not-given.php). Jurist. Archived from the
original (http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/paperchase/2006/06/guantanamo-bay-detainees-not-given.p
hp) on 20 June 2006.
20. Carlotta Gall, Andy Worthington (5 February 2008). "Time Runs Out for an Afghan Held by
the U.S." (https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/05/world/asia/05gitmo.html?em&ex=120236040
0&en=69559dc1ec42361a&ei=5087%0A) The New York Times. Archived (https://web.archi
ve.org/web/20110505113537/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/05/world/asia/05gitmo.html?
em&ex=1202360400&en=69559dc1ec42361a&ei=5087%0A) from the original on 5 May
2011. Retrieved 5 February 2008. "Abdul Razzaq Hekmati was regarded here as a war
hero, famous for his resistance to the Russian occupation in the 1980s and later for a daring
prison break he organized for three opponents of the Taliban government in 1999."
21. "Ismail Khan mobilises hundreds in Herat to fight Taliban" (https://www.thenews.com.pk/prin
t/862159-ismail-khan-mobilises-hundreds-in-herat-to-fight-taliban). www.thenews.com.pk.
Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20210805112939/https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/8
62159-ismail-khan-mobilises-hundreds-in-herat-to-fight-taliban) from the original on 5
August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
22. Varshalomidze, Tamila; Siddiqui, Usaid. "Taliban claims to have taken Kandahar as
onslaught continues" (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/12/afghanistan-taliban-kanda
har-prison-police-ghazni-live-updates). Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20210812162
117/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/12/afghanistan-taliban-kandahar-prison-police-
ghazni-live-updates) from the original on 12 August 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
23. "Taliban detain veteran militia chief Khan in Afghanistan's Herat - official" (https://www.reuter
s.com/world/asia-pacific/taliban-detain-veteran-militia-chief-khan-afghanistans-herat-official-
2021-08-13/). 13 August 2021. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20210813093820/http
s://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/taliban-detain-veteran-militia-chief-khan-afghanistans
-herat-official-2021-08-13/) from the original on 13 August 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
24. Trofimov, Yaroslav (13 August 2021). "Taliban Seize Kandahar, Prepare to March on Afghan
Capital Kabul" (https://www.wsj.com/articles/taliban-seize-kandahar-prepare-to-march-on-ka
bul-11628846975). Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660 (https://www.worldcat.org/issn/009
9-9660). Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20210813101806/https://www.wsj.com/article
s/taliban-seize-kandahar-prepare-to-march-on-kabul-11628846975) from the original on 13
August 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
25. Tariq Ghazniwal [@TGhazniwal] (13 August 2021). "Short Interview of Warlord
#Ismail_Khan after his capturing in #Herat" (https://twitter.com/TGhazniwal/status/14261033
28698732545) (Tweet) – via Twitter.
26. "Taliban captures Afghan commander Ismail Khan after fall of Herat" (https://www.aljazeera.c
om/news/2021/8/13/taliban-capture-afghan-commander-ismail-khan-after-fall-of-herat). 13
August 2021. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20210813141126/https://www.aljazeera.
com/news/2021/8/13/taliban-capture-afghan-commander-ismail-khan-after-fall-of-herat) from
the original on 13 August 2021. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
27. Jaafari, Shirin (16 August 2021). "Former warlord Ismail Khan led a militia against the
Taliban. He spoke to The World days before Afghans lost the fight" (https://www.pri.org/storie
s/2021-08-16/former-warlord-ismail-khan-led-militia-against-taliban-he-spoke-world-days).
The World. Cambridge, MA: Public Radio Exchange.
28. "The Taleban leadership converges on Kabul as remnants of the republic reposition
themselves" (https://www.afghanistan-analysts.org/en/reports/war-and-peace/the-taleban-le
adership-converges-on-kabul-as-the-remnants-of-the-republic-try-to-reposition-themselves/).
Afghanistan Analysts Network - English. 19 August 2021.
29. "Afghanistan: Radio Free Afghanistan journalist attacked and expelled from Herat" (https://w
eb.archive.org/web/20131006151623/http://www.hrea.org/lists/hr-media/markup/msg00103.
html) (Press release). Reporters Without Borders. Archived from the original (http://www.hre
a.org/lists/hr-media/markup/msg00103.html) on 6 October 2013.
30. "Afghanistan: Torture and Political Repression in Herat, John Sifton (November 5, 2002)" (ht
tps://www.hrw.org/press/2002/11/herat1105.htm). Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/201
31005203315/http://www.hrw.org/press/2002/11/herat1105.htm) from the original on 5
October 2013. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
31. "Profile: Ismail Khan, BBC News (September 2004)" (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_
asia/2535261.stm). Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20040610012558/http://news.bbc.
co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/2535261.stm) from the original on 10 June 2004. Retrieved
13 September 2004.

External links
Official site of Amir Mohammad Ismail (https://web.archive.org/web/20180522181030/http://w
ww.hambastagi.com/english/english.html)
BBC Profile: Ismail Khan (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/2535261.stm)
GlobalSecurity.org - General Mohammad Ismail Khan (http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/
world/afghanistan/ismail.htm)

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