Remembering the Bitter Days of Shimali and the Heavy Shadow of Taliban Retaliation
Source: Special Report by the "Bazgasht" News Agency
Original article: افغانسازی: ۱۰ اسد ۱۳۷۸ (۲ اوت ۱۹۹۹)
BAZGASHT RESEARCH GROUP: The month of Asad (July–August) in the historical memory of the people of northern Afghanistan—especially in the regions of Kohdaman, Parwan, Kapisa, and Panjshir—is not associated with summer, harvest, or fruit, but with fire, forced displacement, starvation, killings, and organized crimes committed in 1378 (1999) by the Taliban and their foreign allies.
Twenty-six years have passed, and the Afghan calendar has once again reached the month of Asad. Yet, memories of that dark period still cast a bitter silence over the people of this land. The same oppressive scenario is once again being played out.
In recent decades, Shimali (a term referring to the northern area of Kabul, including Kohdaman in Kabul Province and the provinces of Parwan, Kapisa, and Panjshir) has repeatedly been subjected to targeted attacks and mass killings. Two major tragedies stand out in the history of this region: the first during the tyranny of Nadir Shah, and the second during the Taliban’s scorched earth policy.
The first disaster, carried out by Mohammad Gul Mohmand under the military doctrine of "heads and property," included mass executions, imprisonment, torture, exile, and the destruction of cultural and historical landmarks. The second disaster—the Taliban’s actions—was a continuation of that legacy, executed with even greater brutality, extending even to hostility toward the natural environment and agricultural lands.
The Events of Asad 1378 (August 1999)
After repeated defeats north of Kabul and suffering heavy blows from popular resistance forces, the Taliban entered a phase of revenge marked by actions that, under international law, constitute clear war crimes and crimes against humanity. Their approach closely followed a scorched-earth policy and ethnic cleansing, aiming to destroy vital infrastructure and disrupt the demographic fabric of the region.
According to reports published in Payam-e Mujahid ("Message of the Mujahid"), severe crimes against civilians were documented during this month:
The forced displacement of more than 400,000 people from the Shimali region;
Massacres of civilians in Bagram, Khwaja Sayaran, Qala-e Nasr, and Bagh-e Arq;
Mass graves of bound civilians revealed a deliberate and coordinated plan to destroy the population;
Burning of fields and forests, destruction of irrigation systems and agricultural facilities that led to famine and food insecurity;
The creation of forced relocation camps in Jalalabad, which effectively became prisons, erasing the collective identity of the displaced.
These tragic events are still remembered each year by the people of Shimali on the 10th of Asad (August 2).
From Ethnic Hatred to Organized Repression
The book Second Saqawi, published in 1377 (1998) in Pashto and later translated into Persian, openly promoted the idea of ethnic cleansing in northern Afghanistan. Written during the Taliban’s first regime and its repressive actions in the North, the author explicitly called for the resettlement of southeastern and southern tribes into northern lands and the complete expulsion of Panjshir’s native inhabitants.
According to experts, the content of this book laid the ideological groundwork for a project that the Taliban began to implement in Asad 1378 (August 1999) and continue to this day. Analysts note that the publication of the book, coinciding with the Taliban’s crimes in the North, strengthened their ideological framework, fueled a narrative of hatred, and supported the group’s practical policies, exposing the true face of their northern agenda.
History Repeats Itself—With Greater Brutality
When the Taliban returned to power in Asad 1400 (August 2021), Shimali once again fell under their control. Motivated by old resentments and a desire for revenge, Taliban members began treating the residents of these regions with even more suspicion and brutality.
Observers note that the majority of detainees and those tortured by the Taliban over the past four years have come from these northern provinces. The memory of the northern resistance remains vivid in the minds of Taliban members, and through violence and repression, they seek to crush any emerging spirit of freedom and resistance before it can take root.
At the same time, the spread of extremist ideologies among some individuals in the North has made it easier for the Taliban to consolidate their control over the region.
The Taliban’s revenge-driven approach shows that they are not only a militant group but also a primary enforcer of ethnic prejudice and human rights violations in the North. Their resort to violence, which began notably on Asad 10, 1378 (August 2, 1999), remains a chilling reminder of the endless darkness in this land’s history.
