Mullah Bakht Mohammed
Encyclopedia
Mullah Bakht Mohammed is Mullah Dadullah's
younger half-brother who succeeded him as senior military commander of the Taliban. Local people call him Mullah Mansoor Dadullah. He comes from the Arghandab district
of Kandahar province
, and belongs to the Kakar
Pashtun
tribe. He appeared in a video which shows a "graduation Ceremony" for suicide bombers. In 2007, he was thought to be approximately 30 years old.
During the 1990s Mullah Bakht Mohammed served as Dadullah' assistant during the Taliban's fight against the Afghan Northern Alliance
.
In March 2007, Mullah Bakht Mohammed was serving a prison sentence in Kabul
when he was released in exchange for Italian
journalist Daniele Mastrogiacomo
, along with several other Taliban. At the time he was not thought to be an important member of the Taliban movement.
After his brother was killed on May 12, a Taliban spokesperson announced that Bakht Mohammed would be taking his place as military commander of the Taliban insurgency
in Southern Afghanistan. His appointment is not thought to be the result of any partuclar ability, but was simply due to the fact he was Dadullah's brother. Taliban leader Mullah Omar
, who had resented Dadullah's brutality, is said to have opposed Bakht Mohammed's appointment. He did however, receive support from Al-Qaeda
, who wished him to employ the tactics of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi
in Afghanistan.
In June 2007, Mullah Bakht Mohammed said: "Sheikh Osama Bin Laden is alive and active. He’s carrying out his duties. The latest proof that he is alive is that he sent me a letter of condolences after the martyrdom of my brother. He advised me to follow my brother’s path."
On December 29, 2007 Mullah Bakht Mohammed was removed from his post as military commander by Mullah Omar
due to insubordination.
The Pakistani media reported on February 11, 2008 that he had been seriously wounded and captured by Pakistani security forces in a crackdown on Taliban in Gawal Ismailzai area.
Mullah Dadullah
Maulavi or Mullah Dadullah or Dadullah Akhund was the Taliban's senior military commander until his death by U.S and U.K special ops in 2007. He was an ethnic Pashtun from the Kakar tribe of Kalai-Kakaran village in Uruzgan province of Afghanistan...
younger half-brother who succeeded him as senior military commander of the Taliban. Local people call him Mullah Mansoor Dadullah. He comes from the Arghandab district
Arghandab District
Arghandab is a district in the central part of Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. It borders Panjwai and Khakrez districts to the west, Shah Wali Kot District to the north and east and Kandahar District to the east and south....
of Kandahar province
Kandahar Province
Kandahar or Qandahar is one of the largest of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is located in southern Afghanistan, between Helmand, Oruzgan and Zabul provinces. Its capital is the city of Kandahar, which is located on the Arghandab River. The province has a population of nearly...
, and belongs to the Kakar
Kakar
The Kakar are a Pashtun tribe, with members living in Afghanistan and Pakistan.-Kakar :Kakar Afghan was one of the grandsons of Qais Abdur Rashid. Kakar's father's name was Dani, son of Gharghasht, who was the son of Qais in the Afghan appendix of tribes. According to Afghan and Muslim historians,...
Pashtun
Pashtun people
Pashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
tribe. He appeared in a video which shows a "graduation Ceremony" for suicide bombers. In 2007, he was thought to be approximately 30 years old.
During the 1990s Mullah Bakht Mohammed served as Dadullah' assistant during the Taliban's fight against the Afghan Northern Alliance
United Islamic Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan
The United Islamic Front , known in the West and Pakistan as the Northern Alliance, was a military-political umbrella organization created by the Islamic State of Afghanistan in 1996 under the leadership of Defense Minister Ahmad Shah Massoud...
.
In March 2007, Mullah Bakht Mohammed was serving a prison sentence in Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
when he was released in exchange for Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
journalist Daniele Mastrogiacomo
Daniele Mastrogiacomo
Daniele Mastrogiacomo is an Italian-Swiss journalist and a war correspondent for la Repubblica newspaper....
, along with several other Taliban. At the time he was not thought to be an important member of the Taliban movement.
After his brother was killed on May 12, a Taliban spokesperson announced that Bakht Mohammed would be taking his place as military commander of the Taliban insurgency
Taliban insurgency
The Taliban insurgency took root shortly after the group's fall from power following the 2001 war in Afghanistan. The Taliban continue to attack Afghan, U.S., and other ISAF troops and many terrorist incidents attributable to them have been registered. The war has also spread over the southern and...
in Southern Afghanistan. His appointment is not thought to be the result of any partuclar ability, but was simply due to the fact he was Dadullah's brother. Taliban leader Mullah Omar
Mohammed Omar
Mullah Mohammed Omar , often simply called Mullah Omar, is the leader of the Taliban movement that operates in Afghanistan. He was Afghanistan's de facto head of state from 1996 to late 2001, under the official title "Head of the Supreme Council"...
, who had resented Dadullah's brutality, is said to have opposed Bakht Mohammed's appointment. He did however, receive support from Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
, who wished him to employ the tactics of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi ; October 30, 1966 – June 7, 2006), born Ahmad Fadeel al-Nazal al-Khalayleh was a Jordanian militant Islamist who ran a paramilitary training camp in Afghanistan...
in Afghanistan.
In June 2007, Mullah Bakht Mohammed said: "Sheikh Osama Bin Laden is alive and active. He’s carrying out his duties. The latest proof that he is alive is that he sent me a letter of condolences after the martyrdom of my brother. He advised me to follow my brother’s path."
On December 29, 2007 Mullah Bakht Mohammed was removed from his post as military commander by Mullah Omar
Mohammed Omar
Mullah Mohammed Omar , often simply called Mullah Omar, is the leader of the Taliban movement that operates in Afghanistan. He was Afghanistan's de facto head of state from 1996 to late 2001, under the official title "Head of the Supreme Council"...
due to insubordination.
The Pakistani media reported on February 11, 2008 that he had been seriously wounded and captured by Pakistani security forces in a crackdown on Taliban in Gawal Ismailzai area.