Mawlawi Mahdi Mujahid, the Taliban “disgruntled” commander, was killed by Taliban border forces when he wanted to enter Iran through the province of Herat in western Afghanistan, according to a statement from the Taliban’s Ministry of Defense released on Wednesday.
Mawlawi Mahdi Mujahid is referred to as a “rebel” in this statement. Mujahid had clashed with the Taliban multiple times after starting a dispute with the group in the Balkhab district of Sar-e-pol in northern Afghanistan.
The statement makes no mention of the date on which Mahdi Mujahid was killed.
In a series of tweets on Wednesday, August 17, the Ministry of Defense of the Taliban stated that Mawlawi Mujahid was killed by the border forces of the Taliban while he was attempting to “escape” to Iran.
Mawlawi Mahdi Mujahid embraced the Taliban 13 years ago, while foreign forces were stationed in Afghanistan; he played a key part in the collapse of the republican system in Afghanistan’s northern provinces.
However, more than ten months after the Taliban assumed power, he began to criticize the Taliban group.
According to reports, Mahdi Mujahid sought more Hazara participation in the Taliban government, but the Taliban leaders disregarded not just his demand, but also the views of the international community and internal political circles, in order to establish an inclusive government.
Mawlawi Mujahid was the only Hazara Taliban commander to take up arms against the Taliban government.
