KABUL: A commander of the Fatemiyoun Division has said that hundreds of fighters under his command are prepared to join military operations against the Taliban if anti-Taliban groups can provide the necessary resources.
In an interview with the Afghan media, the commander said many Fatemiyoun members were ready to support armed resistance against the Taliban, arguing that opposition to the group had become a priority for many fighters.
The Fatemiyoun Division, established in 2013, primarily recruited Afghan fighters from the country’s northern regions and later became a symbol of resistance against the Afghan Taliban.
According to the commander, when the Taliban entered Kabul in August 2021, fighters were advised not to confront the group immediately, as doing so could endanger Afghanistan’s Shia population.
He said many members had since become disillusioned and now believed the time had come to actively oppose Taliban rule.
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The commander said that if anti-Taliban groups secured adequate funding, equipment and logistical support, many Fatemiyoun fighters would be willing to return to Afghanistan and join the armed resistance.
He described the Taliban as the primary obstacle to Afghanistan’s future and said military operations, combined with political efforts, were necessary to challenge the group’s rule.
