Gulbuddin Hekmatyar

Khaama Press
November 27, 2015

The leader of Hezb-e-Islami party Gulbuddin Hekmatyar has offered conditional support to the Afghan peace process while seeking a comeback and leverage in the politics of the country.

Carrying a title of the most notorious warlord for his 40 years of involvement in war and violence in the country, Hekmatyar, who is now in his late 60s, is believed to be hiding somewhere in Pakistan.

He has been designated a “global terrorist” by the United States and blacklisted by the United Nations along with Osama bin Laden.

With a desire to come out of the shadows, the latest statement by Hekmatyar is considered to assert influence and gain new leverage in Afghan politics.

Hekmatyar’s conditions are similar to the other militant groups fighting the Afghan government, including the Taliban militants.

He wants a complete withdrawal of the US and NATO forces from Afghanistan and organization of a new election in 2016.

“Peace can be established and the fighting can end once the occupation is over, foreign forces leave and the people of the Afghan nation are given the right to choose their own destiny and establish their own choice of government and governance,” Hekmatyar said in a videotaped message to Associated Press.

However, the political analysts believe Hekmatyar could no longer have influence over the political or security situation of the country.

Political analyst Ali Mohammad Ali told Associated Press that Hekmatyar can no longer run a private army because “most of his people have joined the Taliban” or other militant groups, including the emerging ISIS affiliate which has established a presence in Hekmatyar’s former strongholds in eastern provinces bordering Pakistan.