Amrullah Saleh is a symbol of the connection between intelligence and politics in Afghanistan
Author: Razmanda, analyst, specially for "Sangar"
Amrullah Saleh is regarded as one of the most renowned and controversial political and security figures in Afghanistan. From a young age, he engaged in politics and struggle, and through his strong interest and persistence, he established himself in the minds of both the public and elites as a professional and experienced intelligence and security personality.
Saleh’s career—whether as the head of the National Directorate of Security (NDS), as Vice President, or later as the leader of the Resistance—has consistently been the subject of media analysis and debate both inside and outside the country. What stands out most about him is the close connection between his security background and his political approach. Saleh believed that in Afghanistan, security was not only a prerequisite but the very foundation of politics. He repeatedly emphasized that a politician without the ability to perceive and analyze security dynamics could neither survive meaningfully in the arena of power nor ensure success in political struggle.
Saleh’s security experience gave his politics a distinctly intelligence-oriented character. Unlike many Afghan politicians who resorted to hidden deals and compromises in critical moments, he often spoke in the language of warnings, threats, and risks. In his view, Afghanistan was a theater of constant actual and potential threats, and the responsibility of a political leader in such an environment was to warn the public and prepare them for looming crises. For this reason, whether during his tenure as NDS chief, Minister of Interior, or First Vice President, his security-oriented perspective consistently overshadowed his political decisions.
One of Saleh’s most defining traits was his stance toward the Taliban and Pakistan. Unlike others who approached the Taliban through the lens of reconciliation and bargaining, he consistently defined them as a security threat. Later, Pakistani sources even admitted that Saleh was the only prominent politician of the Republic era who had no relations with Pakistan or its intelligence apparatus. This independent and unprecedented position earned him a unique place in Afghanistan’s political landscape.
Saleh’s discourse was more security-based than political in the conventional sense. He avoided rhetorical promises or vague statements, focusing instead on articulating dangers and threats which, due to his access to sensitive information, were real and imminent. For this reason, his critics argued that his excessive “security mindset” limited his popular base. Yet, his supporters believe that he was the most honest and transparent politician who openly exposed the Taliban threat and refused to sacrifice truth for political compromise.
Four years after the fall of Kabul, reality confirmed one by one the analyses Saleh had made. His warnings about the Taliban’s nature, the corruption within the Emirate, and the group’s ties to regional terrorist networks all materialized. During this period, unlike many political figures who drowned in media rhetoric, Saleh remained focused on a single front: exposing the Taliban and raising awareness about the weaknesses and crises within their regime.
It was precisely this intelligence and security identity that transformed him into the natural leader of the armed resistance after the fall of Kabul. Relying on effective intelligence networks, he carried out actions that shocked the Taliban and their regional backers. He demonstrated that in Afghanistan, the line between politics and security is so intertwined that separating the two is nearly impossible.
The political trajectory of Amrullah Saleh proves that in Afghanistan, a politician without the ability to gather, analyze, and digest information is doomed to dependency, passivity, and failure.
While many fell into this trap, Saleh, through prudence and his commitment to security principles, chose a different path and established himself as the symbol of the fusion between intelligence and politics in Afghanistan.
