Iran - Afghanistan Taliban secret ties and a tale of Betrayal
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A US drone strike on a moving vehicle in Pakistan's Baluchistan province on May 22 resulted into the death of the two car inmates near Noshki.
The car had entered Pakistan from Iran and was targeted in Pakistan as it had crossed the Pak-Iran Border.
The Passport which was found near the place of incidence revealed the name of the passenger as Wali Muhammad.
Wali Muhammad had valid Iranian Visa and had been travelling to Iran frequently. Few such visits were recorded in the month of February and March 2016.
However US and Afghan authorities declared the dead as Mullah Akhtar Mansoor, the Afghan Taliban Supreme Commander.
Initially Afghan Taliban and Pakistan both denied the reports of the drone strike victim to be Mullah Akhtar Mansoor but subsequently Afghan Taliban accepted the death of Mullah Akhtar Manssor while appointing Mullah Haibutullah as new Afghan Taliban Commander.
Pakistan after the report of the DNA test of the deceased confirmed that the victim of the US drone strike was Afghan Taliban Commander Mullah Akhtar Mansoor.
How Mullah Akhtar Mansoor was tracked and shot down ?
The mystery is gradually being resolved.
It was the double Game of Iran that ditched both Pakistan and Afghan Taliban.
According to The "Foreign Policy" Magazine Iran was at some levels in touch with the leadership of the Afghan Taliban.
Mullah Akhtar Mansoor used to visit Iran for the following purposes.
1. To meet his family which was stationed in Iran so as to avoid the US drone strike in Pakistan.
2. He was given medical treatment in Iran as Pakistani hospitals were under strict scrutiny by the Intelligence agencies.
3. Afghan Taliban have not been receiving the required support from Pakistan as Pakistan has started to deny use of its territory to Afghan Taliban.
4. Afghan Taliban had started to look for alternate hideouts in the region as Pakistan was not much happy with the Afghan Taliban leadership over refusal to have negotiations in the QCG initiative.
5. The most astonishing factor pointed out by the "Foreign Policy" Magazine is that Afghan Taliban were in touch with the Iranian Intelligence agencies.
6. Iran has been supplying small arms and money to Afghan Taliban in Afghanistan.
7. Afghan Taliban had developed secret relations with Iran over past few years.
8. Afghan Taliban had opened its office in Iranian Zaheedan.
But the question arises Why Iran was secretly supporting Afghan Taliban ?
1. Iran feared rise of ISIS in Afghanistan so it armed Afghan Taliban with small arms and ammunitions so as to counter the rise of ISIS in its back yard.
2. Iran feared that stronger United States forces in Afghanistan can any time attack Iranian Nuclear Installations from Afghanistan so to keep the US Forces under threat and attack in Afghanistan it supported Afghan Taliban.
3. Iran knew that Afghan Taliban are a alternate force and government in Afghanistan so it hedged it bets upon Afghan Taliban in case it is able to retake Kabul and forms government in Afghanistan.
4. As Russia gradually started to support Afghan Taliban in Afghanistan so Iran joined the Russian camp in it's support to Taliban.
But the more interesting aspect rises that why it betrayed the Afghan Taliban ?
1. Hizb ul Islami leader GulBadin HikmatYar in Afghanistan has accused the Iranian intelligence of providing the details of Mullah Akhtar Mansoor to the US intelligence.
2. Afghan Taliban have also blamed Iran of helping US in killing of Mullah Akhtar Mansoor.
3. Pakistan had also accused Iran of supporting US in drone strike in Pakistani territory.
Why did Iran double crossed Afghan Taliban ?
1. Iran wanted to assure US of its support in order to further ease out on the economic sanctions with the help of United States.
2. Iran wanted to assure Kabul Government of its sincerity as Kabul had gradually come to know about the secret relations between Afghan Taliban and Iran.
3. Iran wanted to keep its ally India into the economic loop of Chabahar Port and subsequent access to CAR states and India never wanted Afghan Taliban to grow in Afghanistan.
4. Iran no more fears United States attacking it's nuclear facilities from bases in Afghanistan so did not feel to engage US troops any more in Afghanistan.
5. The initial fear of rise of ISIS in Afghanistan is no more considered as threat to Iran as ISIS in Afghanistan is not linked to its mother organisation in Middle East and rather than a local phenomenon of breakaway factions of Pakistani and Afghan Taliban specifically created by RAW-NDS to destabilise Pakistan and hence not great is felt by Iran from ISIS.
6. Last but not the least Iran considered that Afghan Taliban are unable to capture the throne of Kabul, hence no more hedging is strategically required so it's time to off load the extra baggage of Afghan Taliban.
The secret ties between Iran and Afghan Taliban ended up in betrayal by Iran when Iran considered Afghan Taliban no more assets for its national interest.
