Al-Qaeda Uses Jaish al-Mahdi to Gain Control over Helmand Province

Jamestown.org ^ | 10/24/07 | Waliullah Rahmani

[Straight Vermonter]

A movement called Jaish al-Mahdi (The Army of the Mahdi) has emerged in Afghanistan. The leader of Afghanistan's Jaish al-Mahdi is Abu Haris, an Arab commander who fought during the anti-Soviet jihad in eastern Afghanistan (Weesa, September 19). Afghanistan's newly established Jaish al-Mahdi is a combination of Arab and Afghan fighters. In a statement, the movement noted that at its outset Jaish al-Mahdi enjoyed the support of 250 Arab and Afghan fighters, although it is still ambiguous as to which jihadi party these fighters were involved in during the Afghan wars. Today, the group has been attempting to recruit Afghan youth to help undertake operations and participate in what Abu Haris calls the "jihad in Afghanistan" (Pajhwak Afghan News, August 16).

The army's self-proclaimed leader, Abu Haris, is an Arab fighter who was on the side of the resistance against the Soviets in Paktia province. He is allegedly Syrian, and for many years has been active in different parts of Afghanistan (Pajhwak Afghan News, August 16). A high-ranking Taliban official, who declined to be named, said that those gathered under the leadership of Abu Haris are all close friends (Pajhwak Afghan News, August 16). Some al-Qaeda personnel speaking to Pajhwak Afghan News acknowledged the formation of Jaish al-Mahdi and denied any differences between the group and al-Qaeda, claiming that they cooperated with each other fully.

The desolate and largely lawless region of Helmand province, the former main base of al-Qaeda in the Afghan-Pakistani border's Paktia province, and the Pakistani territory of Waziristan are the areas that the Jaish al-Mahdi leader claimed as the fields of jihad against NATO-led forces and the Afghan government (Weesa, September 19). Of the areas that Jaish al-Mahdi has announced as their battlefields, Helmand province is the only place where Arab personnel of al-Qaeda have not held sway. Therefore, Jaish al-Mahdi's Arab fighters' activities in Helmand would indicate an attempt to insert Arab insurgents into an area that has not traditionally been one of their strongholds. Nevertheless, since the surge of violence in 2004, al-Qaeda elements have been active under Mustafa Abu al-Yazid throughout the country, and in Kunar province some Arab fighters are operating under the supervision of Abu Ikhlas al-Misri.

It is also unique that the group, which is believed to be Sunni, chose the name "Jaish al-Mahdi," as the "Mahdi" is more prominent in Shiism. However, it is unlikely that this would be a Shiite group operating in concert with al-Qaeda and in that region of Afghanistan. Additionally, the idea of the Mahdi does fit into Sunni religious thought.

[Straight Vermonter]

Pakistan ping

[sageb1]

I thought they were Shi’a.

[AdmSmith]

It could be Abu Haris Abdul Hakim. He is mentally unstable, and has probably passed the line now when he thinks that he is the Mehdi. Earlier he was trying to speak for several fundamentalist groups, now he has taken a step further into the insanity. Expect him to disintegrate soon.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/06/21/attack/main559777.shtml

For more about the Mehdi check Dajjals profile page http://www.freerepublic.com/~dajjal/

[Southack]

I’m underwhelmed by Al Qaeda and new wanna-be’s who talk to the news media but have no relevant battles under their belts.

To me, it reeks of displaced Sunnis (e.g. fleeing losses in Iraq and Pak Army advances near Waziristan) claiming to be new heros (arriving in Afghanistan) rather than defeated cowards (arriving in Afghanistan).

For one thing, these new groups aren’t claiming to have new funding or new weapons or new strategies...which a *real* grassroots movement would be expected to have if it showed up suddenly on a new battlefield in a foreign land to change the course of a war.

Instead, they all show up and announce that they are recruiting new cannon fodder.

...doesn’t pass the smell test.

My money says that they are defeated ragtag elements retreating to sparsely populated Islamic areas in hopes of mere survival rather than grandiose Offensives against the world’s only super-power.

[SunkenCiv]

Afghanistan's newly established Jaish al-Mahdi is a combination of Arab and Afghan fighters. In a statement, the movement noted that at its outset Jaish al-Mahdi enjoyed the support of 250 Arab and Afghan fighters, although it is still ambiguous as to which jihadi party these fighters were involved in during the Afghan wars... The army's self-proclaimed leader, Abu Haris, is an Arab fighter who was on the side of the resistance against the Soviets in Paktia province. He is allegedly Syrian, and for many years has been active in different parts of Afghanistan... Some al-Qaeda personnel speaking to Pajhwak Afghan News acknowledged the formation of Jaish al-Mahdi and denied any differences between the group and al-Qaeda, claiming that they cooperated with each other fully. The desolate and largely lawless region of Helmand province, the former main base of al-Qaeda in the Afghan-Pakistani border's Paktia province, and the Pakistani territory of Waziristan are the areas that the Jaish al-Mahdi leader claimed as the fields of jihad against NATO-led forces and the Afghan government.

[rawcatslyentist]

Dirka dirka muuuhHamHead geehaad! Flibbidy flabbedy floop!

Send em allah back to hell where they belong!

[Recon Dad]

I follow this very closely and knowing what is happening in Helmand is the AQ and the rest are getting their asses kicked. We seem to be getting better and better intel which results in more and more dead for the bad guys.

[agere_contra]

Excellent analysis.

[Southack]

Thanks. It’s like the Confederate flight to Brazil as the South was losing to the North a century and a half ago.

Yeah, if you were down in Brazil you heard some TOUGH TALKING rebels!

...but in the end they were just defeated, ragtag elements that managed to escape with their lives from the primary battles.

[Dajjal]

It is also unique that the group, which is believed to be Sunni, chose the name "Jaish al-Mahdi," as the "Mahdi" is more prominent in Shiism. However, it is unlikely that this would be a Shiite group operating in concert with al-Qaeda and in that region of Afghanistan. Additionally, the idea of the Mahdi does fit into Sunni religious thought.

David Cook has been writing for years that this "the Mahdi does fit into Sunni religious thought" business is bunk.

Sunnis don't believe in the Twelfth Imam. But the Mahdi is there in the Hadith prophecies.

Sunnis think the Mahdi will be a contemporary Muslim who will establish a worldwide Caliphate. Shi'ites believe the Mahdi will be a 1000-year-old man who will establish a worldwide Imamate. Either Mahdi will kill or convert all non-Muslims.

I suspect that the reporter is a modern, secular Muslim who doesn't know what the prelates are preaching.

As for Abu Haris Abdul Hakim, my first guess would be that he and his army are there to "pave the way" for the Mahdi. If you claim to be the Mahdi, there are quite a few requirements you have to meet -- but if you just claim to be his ally, you can pretty much do as you please.