Mohammad Sharipov (aka Mahdi Arsalon)

By RFE/RL’s Tajik Service
January 9, 2024

Tajik militant Muhammad Sharifov (aka Mahdi Arsalon), who is wanted in Dushanbe on terrorism charges, disappeared in Afghanistan months ago, his relatives and friends said on January 8. After taking over Afghanistan in 2021, the Taliban rulers appointed Sharifov, 30, to oversee districts along the Tajik-Afghan border. Fighters of the Ansarullah group were placed under his command. Tajikistan then expressed concerns over the presence of Ansarullah, which consists mostly of Tajiks who are not loyal to the Tajik government, close to the mutual border. The Taliban later moved Ansarullah fighters to other sites, apparently to ease tensions with Dushanbe. Click here to read more (external link).