SUMMARY

The Forces of Sayed Mansur Naderi was an armed militia group from Baghlan Province, Afghanistan. Beginning as a small yet well-armed group, their rise to prominence was believed to be attributed to the withdrawal of Soviet Union troops from Afghanistan in 1988. The Government of Afghanistan had been heavily dependent on the Soviet troops to protect valuable economic resources such as the natural gas fields and vital transport routes in the north of the country. With their withdrawal, the Forces of Sayed Mansur Naderi became one of two militia groups to take over this responsibility for the Government of Afghanistan during the communist regime. Between 1988 and 1992, it is likely that at least parts of the Forces of Sayed Mansur Naderi, were recognized as the 80th Armoured Division of the Army. However, when the communist regime became too weak to continue controlling its militia units financially, the Forces of Sayed Mansur Naderi joined the mujahideen revolt against the government in March 1992. One month later, the mujahideen groups succeeded in overthrowing the communist regime and the Forces of Sayed Mansur Naderi became part of the government forces.

By 1989, the Forces of Sayed Mansur Naderi consisted of 13 000 troops. Its members were drawn from the Ismaili population within the Hazara ethnic group, which was a marginalized ethnic minority in central Afghanistan. However, the Ismaili were particularly marginalized due to their adherence to a narrow strand of Shia Islam, which both Sunni and other types of Shia Muslim followers considered heretical. The Ismaili inhabited the eastern areas of the Hazarajat region mainly, especially in Baghlan province.

Sayed Mansur Naderi, also known as Syed Nadir Kayan or Sayed Monsoor Nadiri, was leader of the Ismaili Nizari community in Baghlan province and later gained the honorary title of Sayed of Kayan. His family included well-known leaders of the Ismaili community and business owners. During the 1980s, Naderi was Army Commander of the 80th Armoured Division, based in Pul-i-Khumri, Baghlan Province, and went on to serve as Governor of Baghlan Province for the mujahideen Government of Afghanistan between 1992 and 1996. When the Taleban took control of the government, Nadiri fled to Uzbekistan and did not return to Afghanistan until the Taleban fall from power.

Following the fall of the communist regime, the Forces of Sayed Mansur Naderi allied with Junbish-i Milli-yi Islami from 1992 and followed their shifting allegiances, according to an undated source. Therefore, the Forces of Sayed Mansur Naderi supported the mujahideen Government of Afghanistan until 1993, when the failure to award a cabinet post to the leader of Junbish-i Milli-yi Islami caused the latter to turn against the government. Reportedly, the Forces of Sayed Mansur Naderi became members of the coalition group UIFSA, commonly known as the Northern Alliance, which fought against the Taleban-led Government of Afghanistan (see Government of Afghanistan – UIFSA. It remained a member of UIFSA until it fragmented in 2001.