S11: The Taliban Insurgency

Question 1

What is the definition of Insurgency?

Answer 1

An insurgency is an organized movement
aimed at the overthrow of a constituted
government through the use of
subversion and armed conflict

Question 2

What were conditions for insurgency in Afghanistan?

Answer 2

1. Government
   -Corrupt
   -Oppressive
   -Inefficient
2. Coalition:
   -Casualties (civilian)
   -Air strikes
   -Night raids
3. Anger under civilians lead to increasing support for insurgents

Question 3

Taliban membership

Answer 3

1. Hard-core Taliban
   -Purely ideologically driven madrasa students
   -Genuine jihadist recruits provided by village mullahs (muslim mosque leader), mainly driven by xenophobia
2. Non-core Taliban
   -Local allies (communities and opportunists)
   -Mercenary elements

Question 4

Taliban structure & leadership

Answer 4

Deputies
-
Leadership council (Quetta Shura)
-
1. National commissions
2. Military commision west
3. Military commission east

Haqqani Network (linked between leadership council and military commission east)

Question 5

What were funding sources of the Taliban?

Answer 5

-Outside sources
-Business
-Trafficking
-Protection
-Taxation

Question 6

What was the Neo-Taliban?

Answer 6

-(Farrel, 2018) more structured, more centralized command system to plan operations and logistics. Usage of commanders.

(Giustozzi, 2009): More integrated in international jihadist movement
-Solidarity in ‘Global Christian War against Islam’
-Formation of alliances with regional and global ‘allies’
-Enables stronger external support

-(Farrel, 2018): more flexible organisation:
-Less orthodox towards imported technologies
-Evolution towards guerilla warfare (bombs, etc.)

Question 7

What are the main operating activities of the Taliban?

Answer 7

1. Exploitation of divisions among communities
   -Fueling local rivalries
   -Identifying opposition to Kabul, and siding with these people
2. Coercion (scare state officials away and prevent cooperation)
   -intimidation and assasination campaigns
3. Fighting
   -Against the state and other insurgents
4. Propaganda
   -Taliban code of conduct (layeha 2006) to improve public image) -> DVDs, tapes, poetry, taranas (songs)
5. (Rebel) governance
   -provice services
   -administer justice