Basej-e Milli

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The Basej-e Milli (Persian: بسيج ملی, lit.'National Movement') alternatively called Rawand-e Sabz-e Afghanistan (Persian: روند سبز افغانستان, lit.'Afghanistan Green Trend') was an Anti-Taliban Afghan nationalist Pro-Democracy political party in Afghanistan.[3] It is currently active as an militant political movement actively engaged in the Republican insurgency in Afghanistan.[10] It was founded by former Afghan intelligence chief Amrullah Saleh.

Afghanistan Green Trend
روند سبز افغانستان
LeaderAmrullah Saleh
FounderAmrullah Saleh
Founded2010 (2010)
IdeologyAfghan nationalism[1]
Atlanticism[2]
Moderate Islamism
Democratism[3]
Decentralization[4]
Reformism[5][1]
Republicanism[6]
Anti-Taliban[7][8][9]
Political positionCentre
National affiliationSecond Resistance (2021 - present)[2]
Colours  Green
WarsAfghan conflict
Website
green-trend.com

History

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Basej-e Milli started as a grassroots movement when Saleh visited cities and small towns in several Afghan provinces talking about his political beliefs in favour of democracy and reform but strongly opposing the Taliban.[5][1]

Activities against Taliban

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2011

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In May 2011, more than 100,000 of Saleh's followers took part in an anti-Taliban demonstration in the capital Kabul.[7][8][9]

2021

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On 19 August 2021, small protests consisting of women were reported in Kabul, demanding equal rights for women.[11][12]

Larger protests emerged in eastern Pashtun-inhabited[13] cities the following day. On 18 August, the Taliban opened fire on demonstrators in Jalalabad, killing 3 and wounding more than a dozen. The Taliban had promised not to be brutal in the way they rule. Witnesses said the deaths happened when local residents tried to install Afghanistan's tricolour at a square in Jalalabad.[14][15] There were also reports of people trying to plant the tricolour in the eastern cities of Khost and Asadabad.[16]

on 15 August 2021, former first vice president Amrullah Saleh, citing provisions of the 2004 Constitution, declared himself the caretaker president of Afghanistan and announced the republican resistance against the Taliban.[17][10] Saleh's claim to the presidency was endorsed by Ahmad Massoud,[10] as well as by former Afghan Minister of Defence Bismillah Mohammadi, and the Afghan embassy in Tajikistan including its ambassador Mohammad Zahir Aghbar.[10]

The next day, 19 August, Afghan Independence Day, protests were reported as spreading to more cities, including large separate protests in Kabul, with 200 people gathered in one demonstration before it was broken up by force by the Taliban.[18] Later on the 19th, some outlets reported that the protests in Kabul had swelled to thousands of protesters.[19] There were multiple reports of the Taliban flag being torn down and replaced by the flag of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, and protesters were reported as flying the latter flag.[20][18] Several protesters were reported killed after they were fired upon while they were waving national flags during Afghan Independence Day in Asadabad,[20][18] where "hundreds of people" were described as joining the protest.[20] In Kabul on the 19th, a procession of cars and people carried a long Afghan tricolor in a symbol of defiance.[21] In Khost Province on the 19th, the Taliban violently broke up another protest, and declared a 24-hour curfew; meanwhile, in Nangarhar Province, a video was posted showing a bleeding protester with a gunshot wound being carried away.[21]

Amrullah Saleh, formerly the vice president and the declared acting "caretaker" President of Afghanistan by the Panjshir resistance per the Afghan constitution in the event of the flight abroad of former President Ashraf Ghani, saluted protesters "who carry the national flag and thus stand for dignity of the nation" on 19 August.[20] However, the priority of the US is still geared towards securing the perimeter of the airport, as well as raising the number of evacuees out of the capital Kabul, Pentagon officials disclosed.[22]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Saleh's Green Trend Announces New Political Alliance, Affirms Support for Afghan Forces tolonews.com. Retrieved 6 September 2021
  2. ^ a b "Afghan leader of Taliban resistance urges West to "supply us without delay"". Newsweek. 19 August 2021. Archived from the original on April 19, 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  3. ^ a b Ali Maisam Nazary (19 August 2021). "What the Taliban Really Fear". Foreign Affairs. Archived from the original on March 18, 2023.
  4. ^ Peter Bergen (1 September 2021). "The leader of the anti-Taliban resistance speaks out". CNN. Archived from the original on May 26, 2023.
  5. ^ a b "Uniting a polarized Afghanistan". AlJazeera. 2011-03-23.
  6. ^ a b "An anti-Taliban front forming in Panjshir? Ex top spy Saleh, son of 'Lion of Panjshir' meet at citadel". The Week. 17 August 2021. Archived from the original on 17 August 2021. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  7. ^ a b "Thousands of Afghans Rally in Kabul". The New York Times. 2011-05-05.
  8. ^ a b "Anti-Taliban rally". BBC Persian. 2011-05-05.
  9. ^ a b "Govt Opposition Warn of Taking to Streets". Tolo TV. 2011-05-05.
  10. ^ a b c d "Panjshir flies flag of resistance again; Amrullah says he is President of Afghanistan". Tribune India. 17 August 2021. Archived from the original on May 17, 2023. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  11. ^ "Watch Afghan women on the streets of Kabul protest against the Taliban". The Week. August 17, 2021.
  12. ^ "Watch: Afghan women hold street protest as Taliban fighters look on". The Indian Express. 18 August 2021. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  13. ^ "Taliban face stiff resistance in several provinces; violence breaks out in Pashtun-dominated Jalalabad". The Week. August 18, 2021.
  14. ^ "Taliban keep some evacuees from reaching Kabul airport, as U.S. vows to finish airlift". Reuters. August 18, 2021.
  15. ^ "Taliban militants violently disperse rare Afghan protest". AP NEWS. August 18, 2021.
  16. ^ Rasmussen, Saeed Shah and Sune Engel (August 18, 2021). "Afghanistan's Taliban Rulers Meet Their First Political Protests With Gunfire". Wall Street Journal – via www.wsj.com.
  17. ^ "Afghan vice president says he is "caretaker" president". reuters.com. 17 August 2021. Archived from the original on 17 August 2021. Retrieved 26 August 2021.
  18. ^ a b c Santora, Marc; Blue, Victor J. (August 19, 2021). "As demonstrations spread, the Taliban face growing challenges in running the nation". The New York Times. New York Times.
  19. ^ "Afghanistan war: Deadly protests as people fight against Taliban takeover". News.Com.Au. August 19, 2021.
  20. ^ a b c d "Afghan protests spread to Kabul in early challenge to Taliban". Reuters. August 19, 2021.
  21. ^ a b Ahmad Seir, Rahim Faiez, Kathy Gannon and Jon Gambrell (August 19, 2021). "Afghans protest Taliban in emerging challenge to their rule". Associated Press.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  22. ^ "Afghanistan updates: Biden says he would consider sanctions against Taliban". ABC News.