Dear Readers!
You know that in the current war of Afghanistan, the issue of civilian losses is a distressing veracity. We constantly hear from media that detriments are inflicted on the civilian people, their personal effects are destroyed and occasionally they lose their lives.
Although the enemy is responsible for most incidents of the civilian losses as most of the time, private setups, villages and houses are targeted by the enemy deliberately for spreading panic and terror. The Islamic Emirate has always taken necessary measures for the deterrence of these kinds of felonies. It has constantly raised the voice of the oppressed countrymen, has divulged the misdemeanors of the enemy and has invited the international organizations including the United Nations for taking precautionary measures against these transgressions. The Islamic Emirate has left no stone unturned in for the prevention of these offenses.
Other civilian losses are those losses which are inflicted on the civilian people in ambushes and occasionally in blasts. The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has taken very tough stance for the prevention of this issue and has always drawn the attention of its Mujahidin to give utmost priority to the safety and security of the civilian people. The head of the Islamic Emirate, His Excellency, Amir-ul-Mominin, Mulla Mohammad Umar Mujahid (May Allah protect him) has constantly emphasized in his messages and has called the attention of Mujahidin towards this menace. As it is a crucial issue, The Islamic Emirate has recently assigned a special committee under the supervision of the Military Commission for the avoidance of civilian losses, evaluate the incidents of the civilian losses and work for their prevention. Here, we have interviewed the in-charge commander of this committee, Mr. Sarhadi and would like to draw your attention towards it.
Question: Mr. Sarhadi, first of all you are warmly welcomed. Then, if you could provide us the information about this newly established organ of evaluation and prevention of civilian losses that what are the assumptions and objectives behind the establishment of this organ?
Answer: بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم.
الحمدلله رب العالمين والصلوة والسلام علي امام المجاهدين محمد وعلي آله واصحابه اجمعين وبعد:
In the name of Allah, the most merciful and the most beneficial.
As you know as you are closely in touch with the ongoing situation inside Afghanistan that most parts of Afghanistan are under the practical control of Mujahidin and all the civil and military organs of the Islamic Emirate are active in these controlled areas, but on the other side, the dwellers of these civilian area are facing various threats from the internal and external enemies of Afghanistan. They are bombed, irritated and tortured mentally and physically for various lame excuses. Similarly, the civilian people are, sometimes, harmed unintentionally by Mujahidin as well. As The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is the only source of solving all the issues of the absolutely majority of the of the people, therefore, the leadership of the Islamic Emirate deemed it necessary due to its religious obligation to establish an independent and reliable organ inside the framework of the Islamic Emirate under the name of the prevention of civilian losses which could get accurate information from all parts of Afghanistan and could take decisive measures for the trial of the perpetrators and avoidance of the recurrence of the incident.
Question: How powerful is your organ and how much authority does it hold to detain the perpetrators in the case of the civilian losses and bring them to the trial? Similarly, do you have any ‘modus operandi’ for your organ and what are its main articles?
Answer: The preventive organ of the civilian losses has full authority for the endorsement of its assigned tasks. I would like to briefly explain them to you in presenting the theme of a few articles of the rectified ‘modus operandi’.
- 1.The responsibility of this organ is to get information, evaluate and send the report to the leadership of the Islamic Emirate regarding those civilian losses which are ascribed to Mujahidin whether they occur as the result of martyrdom attacks, landmines, rockets attacks or in the usage of other light or heavy weapons.
- 2.In depth analysis and registration of those civilian losses which take place in the indiscriminate bombing, ruthless firing, raids or any other operations of the American invaders, the NATO trespassers or the indigenous stooges. The report of all this kind of civilian losses is sent to the head of the Military Commission so that necessary steps should be taken for the avoidance of their future recurrence.
- 3.This organ bears the responsibility of thoroughly investigating those incidents which have occurred due to the negligence of Mujahidin and if the perpetrator is found guilty, he should be introduced to the Sharia court for due punishment.
In short, the ‘modus operandi’ drafted in 16 articles, explicitly shows that full fledge working authority is conferred to this organ.
Question: Though your organ is newly established, if you could, kindly, tell us that how many cases of the civilian losses related to the perpetrators have been worked out by your organ or any case of the civilian losses has been registered and the person responsible for it has been penalized?
Answer: Yes. Let me tell you briefly so that the answer is clear and essential points are included that we registered a total of 200 cases. These are the cases which are currently under consideration and, Insha-Allah, their results will be known in the short span of time. Similarly, we have summoned some perpetrators of these incidents and a few of them are under surveillance for investigations.
Question: As you know that mostly the incidents of civilian losses occur due to the deliberate negligence of the enemy; what is your course of action for their check and registration?
Answer: I would like to say in this regard that we make use of all possibilities to get the available information about the incidents of the civilian losses and then prepare our strategy accordingly to fulfill the responsibility of protecting the lives and properties of the our countrymen. To make our access easy to the incidents of the civilian losses, our ‘modes operandi’ directs as following:
- 1.All members and circles of the Military Commission, governors, heads of the Provincial Commissions and in-charge Mujahidin are bound to fully co-operate in pointing out the perpetrators of the incidents, their summoning, completion of investigation and providing all-inclusive information as demanded by this organ.
- 2.In case of any horrific incident, if necessary, a fact finding mission should be sent to the region by the head of this organ to collect first hand information. He should ask the provincial in-charges or any other responsible person of the Islamic Emirate for assistance. He should contact the head of the Military Commission for expenditure and other needs so that the incident is closely evaluated as early as possible. Similarly, the ordinary people as well as Mujahidin can make contact with us on the following cellular number or email address so that their voice could reach the Commission and necessary measures be taken for solving their issues in due course of time.
Our cellular number is (0093707918384)
Our email address is (grmsiry@yahoo.com)
Question: Do you have any course of action for sympathy or co-operation with the sufferers of the losses i.e. to contact the families and relatives of the victims, comfort them or give them condolence etc.?
Answer: Yes. In some incidents, in which, God forsake, Mujahidin of the Islamic Emirate are fully or partially involved, all legal requirements are followed with the observance of all necessary measures. Sympathy and condolence have been expressed with bereaved families and they have been financially supported within our limitations.
Question: How confident are you that you would be able to stop the civilian losses or at least minimize them as best as you can, can you extend any assurance to the people in this regard?
Answer: Insha-Allah, we are confident that civilian losses will be reduced to their maximum level due to all these efforts. As civilian losses are a bitter reality of war whose total exclusion might be nearly impossible, but we are determined to bring these losses to their minimum possible level. By the grace of Allah Almighty, the leadership of the Islamic Emirate and common Mujahidin are quite cautious to the importance of this issue. This is main reason that the civilian losses of the current Jihad inside Afghanistan is comparatively less than any other war; but still we are trying our best to eliminate all these incidents.
Question: What is your message for Mujahidin and the common folk to prevent the civilian losses i.e. what kind of assistance they should extend to you in at the time of incidents?
Answer: We have assigned some reliable persons in each and every district to closely check and record the whole situation of the incident. Secondly, our special cellular numbers are accessible at all times for everyone i.e. anyone can share his information with us. We hope that if ,God forsake, any incident takes place in which civilian losses have been inflicted on the people, they will contact us and share their information on the above given cellular numbers or email address.
Similarly, we have witnessed ourselves that most of the time, the civilian losses are inflicted due to the negligence of Mujahidin, instead, they occur due to the very carelessness of the civilian people themselves. For example, the convoy of the American forces enters the region once a month. Mujahidin prepare landmines for them and ask the people not to move near or in front of the American tanks or ask them to take other precautionary measures. But the people do not abide by these precautions and thus incidents of the civilian losses occur which are harmful for both the masses and Mujahidin as well. Our demand from the ordinary people is that they should also co-operate in avoiding the incidents of civilian losses and fully abide by the precautionary measures announced by Mujahidin.
Question: If you could briefly tell us the number of those cases in which you have proved that Mujahidin have been found negligent in the incidents of civilian losses and they are under court procedure?
Answer: Yes. We have registered 2 cases in Kandahar province, 4 in Helmond province, 1 in Wardak province, 1 in Zabul province and 1 in Faryab province in which, regretfully, Mujahidin are partially involved. The cases are ready and they will be handed over the Sharia courts in the near future.
Mr. Sarhadi, we are grateful that you have spared your precious time and have answered all our questions with patience and open-mindedness.
In the end, he thanked us too for drawing the attention of the people in-charge and rendering indefatigable services in corresponding them with the masses.