General information
First Active Year: 1981
Current Name: Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan
Current Name full English: Islamic Union for the Freedom of Afghanistan
Current Name full native language: Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan
Original Name: Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan
Original Name full English: Islamic Union for the Freedom of Afghanistan
Original Name full native language: Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan
Actor Chronology
This section contains information about (if applicable) group splinters, name changes, and alliances according to the UCDP definitions of these concepts.
UCDP has not recorded any Chronology Activities involving this group.
Conflict issues
Annual information
This section contains annual information systematically collected by the UCDP.
1981
Actor Active in Dyad(s):
Government of Afghanistan - Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan
1982
Actor Active in Dyad(s):
Government of Afghanistan - Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan
1983
Actor Active in Dyad(s):
Government of Afghanistan - Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan
1984
Actor Active in Dyad(s):
Government of Afghanistan - Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan
1985
Actor Active in Dyad(s):
Government of Afghanistan - Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan
1986
Actor Active in Dyad(s):
Government of Afghanistan - Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan
1987
Actor Active in Dyad(s):
Government of Afghanistan - Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan
1988
Actor Active in Dyad(s):
Government of Afghanistan - Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan
1989
Actor Active in Dyad(s):
Harakat-i Inqilab-i Islami-yi Afghanistan - Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan
Group Archive
This section contains annual information no longer systematically collected by the UCDP.
1981 Group Archive
Government of Afghanistan - Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan
Comment on Name: Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan (Islamic Alliance for the Liberation of Afghanistan) was initially an alliance formed by the six resistance movements in Peshawar in January 1980. When the parties could not cooperate and the alliance fell apart, the leader Abdul Rasul Sayaf created his own organisation out of the alliance. He kept the name Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan for his new rebel group.
Comment on Active: The alliance Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan (Islamic Alliance for the Liberation of Afghanistan) fell apart in April 1981 and the leader Abdul Rasul Sayaf created his own organisation out of the alliance. He kept the name Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan for his new rebel group. In the summer of 1981, two new alliances were formed in Peshawar, one moderate and one fundamentalist. The alliances had the same formal name, Islamic Unity of Afghan Mujahideen.
Troop Size: 1000-1500
Secondary Support: The resistance groups in Afghanistan were supported by many governments and private donors; although many of them did not openly admit that they were giving aid to the Mujahideen. The rebel groups themselves also denied that they were receiving training and weapons from foreign sources. Instead, they claimed that their weapons were captured from the Afghan army and that former Afghan soldiers, who had now joined the resistance, were providing them with training. Although the United States had started to support the Mujahideen on a small scale already in 1979, it was not until after the Soviet invasion that the rebels could count on extensive American aid. While the United States continued to officially deny their involvement in Afghanistan, Carter, on 9 January 1980, authorised a program of covert military assistance to the Moslem insurgents. His successor Reagan expressed in March 1981 his willingness to supply the Mujahideen. In a joint action with Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and to some extent, China, the United States started transferring large quantities of arms to the resistance groups in Afghanistan. Until 1985 only communist-block weapons were bought, in an attempt to hide the fact that the United States were giving the Mujahideen material support. Weapons from China and Egypt were shipped to Karachi or, on some occasions, flown to Islamabad in American, Saudi, Chinese or Pakistani planes. When in Pakistan, all military aid was handled by the Pakistan Inter-Services Intelligence, ISI, who transported the arms to the Afghan resistance groups headquarters in Quetta and Peshawar and distributed them among the seven Sunni parties. The parties then brought the arms to border dumps for the commanders in Afghanistan to come and pick them up.In Pakistan, the question of aid to the Afghan rebels was politically sensitive, as they worried about Soviet retaliation if it was revealed that the Pakistani government supported the Mujahideen. There is no evidence that Pakistan provided weapons for the rebels, but they handled almost all the aid, military and financial, that was given to the Mujahideen by others. Pakistan only recognized seven resistance groups in 1982; Mahaz-i Milli-yi Islami-yi Afghanistan, Jabha-yi Nijat-i Milli-yi Afghanistan, Harakat-i Inqilab-i Islami-yi Afghanistan, Jamiyyat-i Islami-yi Afghanistan, Hizb-i Islami-yi Afghanistan, Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan, Hizb-i Islami-yi Afghanistan - Khalis faction. All the support for the Mujahideen that was distributed by Pakistan was divided among those seven on a percentage basis, where Ittihad-i Islami received around 17-18 percent of the resources. Pakistan also administered training for the Afghan resistance and from 1981 there were Pakistani soldiers situated in Afghanistan as military advisers to the commanders.The bulk of the weapons that the United States and Saudi Arabia provided for the Mujahideen was purchased in Egypt and China, but both Egypt and China also sporadically provided weapons as aid. Egypt openly stated that they supported the Afghan resistance. Defence Minister Kamal Hassan announced in early 1980 that Egypt would provide training to the Afghan fighters, and that the combatants would return to Afghanistan with Egyptian weapons. In December 1980 Egyptian President Anwar Sadat said in a TV-interview that Egypt would send more arms, as well as medicine and food, to the Moslem rebels in Afghanistan. When President Sadat was assassinated in October 1981, aid to the Afghan Mujahideen decreased significantly and possibly stopped. How many guerrillas that received training in Egypt, and how many arms that were given to the Afghan resistance by Egypt remains unknown. China, on the other hand, never admitted that they supported the Mujahideen.One of the largest donors was Saudi Arabia which contributed roughly the same amount of money as the United States. In 1982 they provided around $50 million each. Although most of the weapons bought by the United States and Saudi Arabia for the Afghan resistance were shipped to Pakistan, Saudi Arabia occasionally flew in arms deliveries to airports in Rawalpindi and Islamabad.Iran made many statements supporting the Afghan resistance, but supplied little, if any, material aid to the rebel groups.There are also reports that the Gulf States were providing the Moslem guerrillas with financial aid. However, large parts of the funds seem to have been donated by individuals and it is unclear if the governments of these states were involved in supporting the Afghan resistance.
1982 Group Archive
Government of Afghanistan - Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan
Comment on Name: Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan (Islamic Alliance for the Liberation of Afghanistan) was initially an alliance formed by the six resistance movements in Peshawar in January 1980. When the parties could not cooperate and the alliance fell apart, the leader Abdul Rasul Sayaf created his own organisation out of the alliance. He kept the name Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan for his new rebel group.
Comment on Active: As in previous years, the Peshawar-based resistance groups tried to unite their efforts during 1982. However, no alliance persisted.
Troop Size: 1000-1500
Secondary Support: The resistance groups in Afghanistan were supported by many governments and private donors; although many of them did not openly admit that they were giving aid to the Mujahideen. The rebel groups themselves also denied that they were receiving training and weapons from foreign sources. Instead, they claimed that their weapons were captured from the Afghan army and that former Afghan soldiers, who had now joined the resistance, were providing them with training. Although the United States had started to support the Mujahideen on a small scale already in 1979, it was not until after the Soviet invasion that the rebels could count on extensive American aid. While the United States continued to officially deny their involvement in Afghanistan, Carter, on 9 January 1980, authorised a program of covert military assistance to the Moslem insurgents. In a joint action with Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and to some extent, China, the United States started transferring large quantities of arms to the resistance groups in Afghanistan. Until 1985 only communist-block weapons were bought, in an attempt to hide the fact that the United States were giving the Mujahideen material support. Weapons from China and Israel were shipped to Karachi or, on some occasions, flown to Islamabad in American, Saudi, Chinese or Pakistani planes. When in Pakistan, all military aid was handled by the Pakistan Inter-Services Intelligence, ISI, who transported the arms to the Afghan resistance groups headquarters in Quetta and Peshawar and distributed them among the seven Sunni parties. The parties then brought the arms to border dumps for the commanders in Afghanistan to come and pick them up. From 1985 an onwards, the military aid to the resistance was more openly discussed than in previous years and the US together with the UK provided both UK-built anti-aircraft missiles, and American Stinger missiles to the Mujahideen. The US also increased the amount of aid, from $470 million in 1986 to $630 million in 1987In Pakistan, the question of aid to the Afghan rebels was politically sensitive, as they worried about Soviet retaliation if it was revealed that the Pakistani government supported the Mujahideen. There is no evidence that Pakistan provided weapons for the rebels, but they handled almost all the aid, military and financial, that was given to the Mujahideen by others. Pakistan only recognized seven resistance groups in 1987; Mahaz-i Milli-yi Islami-yi Afghanistan, Jabha-yi Nijat-i Milli-yi Afghanistan, Harakat-i Inqilab-i Islami-yi Afghanistan, Jamiyyat-i Islami-yi Afghanistan, Hizb-i Islami-yi Afghanistan, Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan, Hizb-i Islami-yi Afghanistan - Khalis faction. All the support for the Mujahideen that was distributed by Pakistan was divided among those seven on a percentage basis, where Ittihad-i Islami received around 17-18 percent of the resources. Pakistan also administered training for the Afghan resistance and from 1981 there were Pakistani soldiers situated in Afghanistan as military advisers to the commanders.The bulk of the weapons that the United States and Saudi Arabia provided for the Mujahideen was purchased in Israel and China, but China also sporadically provided weapons as aid. However, they never admitted that they supported the Mujahideen.One of the largest donors was Saudi Arabia which contributed roughly the same amount of money as the United States. In 1987 they provided around $630 million each. Although most of the weapons bought by the United States and Saudi Arabia for the Afghan resistance were shipped to Pakistan, Saudi Arabia occasionally flew in arms deliveries to airports in Rawalpindi and Islamabad.There are also reports that the Gulf States were providing the Moslem guerrillas with financial aid. However, large parts of the funds seem to have been donated by individuals and it is unclear if the governments of these states were involved in supporting the Afghan resistance.
1983 Group Archive
Government of Afghanistan - Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan
Comment on Name: : Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan (Islamic Alliance for the Liberation of Afghanistan) was initially an alliance formed by the six resistance movements in Peshawar in January 1980. When the parties could not cooperate and the alliance fell apart, the leader Abdul Rasul Sayaf created his own organisation out of the alliance. He kept the name Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan for his new rebel group.
Comment on Active: The fundamentalist parties stated in May 1983 that they intended to dissolve their separate existences and the leader of Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan, Abdul Rasul Sayyaf, was chosen president for two years. In a speech he stated that the fundamentalist parties would fight under one command. But rivalry among the groups continued and several clashes occurred between them. In December, Hizb-i Islami-yi Afghanistan left the alliance.
Troop Size: 1000-1500
Secondary Support: The resistance groups in Afghanistan were supported by many governments and private donors; although many of them did not openly admit that they were giving aid to the Mujahideen. The rebel groups themselves also denied that they were receiving training and weapons from foreign sources. Instead, they claimed that their weapons were captured from the Afghan army and that former Afghan soldiers, who had now joined the resistance, were providing them with training. Although the United States had started to support the Mujahideen on a small scale already in 1979, it was not until after the Soviet invasion that the rebels could count on extensive American aid. While the United States continued to officially deny their involvement in Afghanistan, Carter, on 9 January 1980, authorised a program of covert military assistance to the Moslem insurgents. In a joint action with Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and to some extent, China, the United States started transferring large quantities of arms to the resistance groups in Afghanistan. Until 1985 only communist-block weapons were bought, in an attempt to hide the fact that the United States were giving the Mujahideen material support. Weapons from China and Israel were shipped to Karachi or, on some occasions, flown to Islamabad in American, Saudi, Chinese or Pakistani planes. When in Pakistan, all military aid was handled by the Pakistan Inter-Services Intelligence, ISI, who transported the arms to the Afghan resistance groups headquarters in Quetta and Peshawar and distributed them among the seven Sunni parties. The parties then brought the arms to border dumps for the commanders in Afghanistan to come and pick them up. From 1985 an onwards, the military aid to the resistance was more openly discussed than in previous years and the US together with the UK provided both UK-built anti-aircraft missiles, and American Stinger missiles to the Mujahideen.In Pakistan, the question of aid to the Afghan rebels was politically sensitive, as they worried about Soviet retaliation if it was revealed that the Pakistani government supported the Mujahideen. There is no evidence that Pakistan provided weapons for the rebels, but they handled almost all the aid, military and financial, that was given to the Mujahideen by others. Pakistan only recognized seven resistance groups in 1988; Mahaz-i Milli-yi Islami-yi Afghanistan, Jabha-yi Nijat-i Milli-yi Afghanistan, Harakat-i Inqilab-i Islami-yi Afghanistan, Jamiyyat-i Islami-yi Afghanistan, Hizb-i Islami-yi Afghanistan, Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan, Hizb-i Islami-yi Afghanistan - Khalis faction. All the support for the Mujahideen that was distributed by Pakistan was divided among those seven on a percentage basis, where Ittihad-i Islami received around 17-18 percent of the resources. Pakistan also administered training for the Afghan resistance and from 1981 there were Pakistani soldiers situated in Afghanistan as military advisers to the commanders.The bulk of the weapons that the United States and Saudi Arabia provided for the Mujahideen was purchased in Israel and China, but China also sporadically provided weapons as aid. However, they never admitted that they supported the Mujahideen.One of the largest donors was Saudi Arabia which contributed roughly the same amount of money as the United States. In 1988 they provided around $600 million each. Although most of the weapons bought by the United States and Saudi Arabia for the Afghan resistance were shipped to Pakistan, Saudi Arabia occasionally flew in arms deliveries to airports in Rawalpindi and Islamabad.There are also reports that the Gulf States were providing the Moslem guerrillas with financial aid. However, large parts of the funds seem to have been donated by individuals and it is unclear if the governments of these states were involved in supporting the Afghan resistance.
1984 Group Archive
Government of Afghanistan - Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan
Comment on Name: Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan (Islamic Alliance for the Liberation of Afghanistan) was initially an alliance formed by the six resistance movements in Peshawar in January 1980. When the parties could not cooperate and the alliance fell apart, the leader Abdul Rasul Sayaf created his own organisation out of the alliance. He kept the name Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan for his new rebel group.
Troop Size: 1000-1500
Secondary Support: The resistance groups in Afghanistan, commonly referred to as the Mujahideen or freedom fighters, were supported by many governments and private donors; although many of them did not openly admit to it. The rebel groups themselves also denied that they were receiving training and weapons from foreign sources. Instead, they claimed that their weapons were captured from the Afghan army and that former Afghan soldiers, who had now joined the resistance, were providing them with training. Although the United States had started to support the Mujahideen on a small scale already in 1979, it was not until after the Soviet invasion that the rebels could count on extensive American aid. While the United States continued to officially deny their involvement in Afghanistan, Carter, on 9 January 1980, authorised a program of covert military assistance to the Moslem insurgents. His successor Reagan expressed in March 1981 his willingness to supply the Mujahideen. In a joint action with Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and to some extent, China, the United States started transferring large quantities of arms to the resistance groups in Afghanistan. Until 1985 only communist-block weapons were bought, in an attempt to hide the fact that the United States were giving the Mujahideen material support. Weapons from China and Egypt were shipped to Karachi or, on some occasions, flown to Islamabad in American, Saudi, Chinese or Pakistani planes. When in Pakistan, all military aid was handled by the Pakistan Inter-Services Intelligence, ISI, who transported the arms to the Afghan resistance groups headquarters in Quetta and Peshawar and distributed them among the seven Sunni parties. The parties then brought the arms to border dumps for the commanders in Afghanistan to come and pick them up.In Pakistan, the question of aid to the Afghan rebels was politically sensitive, as they worried about Soviet retaliation if it was revealed that the Pakistani government supported the Mujahideen. There is no evidence that Pakistan provided weapons for the rebels, but they handled almost all the aid, military and financial, that was given to the Mujahideen by others. Pakistan only recognized seven resistance groups in 1981; Mahaz-i Milli-yi Islami-yi Afghanistan, Jabha-yi Nijat-i Milli-yi Afghanistan, Harakat-i Inqilab-i Islami-yi Afghanistan, Jamiyyat-i Islami-yi Afghanistan, Hizb-i Islami-yi Afghanistan, Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan, Hizb-i Islami-yi Afghanistan - Khalis faction. All the support for the Mujahideen that was distributed by Pakistan was divided among those seven on a percentage basis, where Ittihad-i Islami received around 17-18 percent of the resources. Pakistan also administered training for the Afghan resistance and from 1981 there were Pakistani soldiers situated in Afghanistan as military advisers to the commanders.The bulk of the weapons that the United States and Saudi Arabia provided for the Mujahideen was purchased in Egypt and China, but both Egypt and China also sporadically provided weapons as aid. Egypt openly stated that they supported the Afghan resistance. Defence Minister Kamal Hassan announced in early 1980 that Egypt would provide training to the Afghan fighters, and that the combatants would return to Afghanistan with Egyptian weapons. In December 1980 Egyptian President Anwar Sadat said in a TV-interview that Egypt would send more arms, as well as medicine and food, to the Moslem rebels in Afghanistan. When President Sadat was assassinated in October 1981, aid to the Afghan Mujahideen decreased significantly. How many guerrillas that received training in Egypt, and how many arms that were given to the Afghan resistance by Egypt is still not known. China, on the other hand, never admitted that they supported the Mujahideen.One of the largest donors was Saudi Arabia which contributed roughly the same amount of money as the United States. In 1981 they provided $30 - $50 million each. Although most of the weapons bought by the United States and Saudi Arabia for the Afghan resistance were shipped to Pakistan, Saudi Arabia occasionally flew in arms deliveries to airports in Rawalpindi and Islamabad.Iran made many statements supporting the Afghan resistance, but supplied little, if any, material aid to the rebel groups.There are also reports that the Gulf States were providing the Moslem guerrillas with financial aid. However, large parts of the funds seem to have been donated by individuals and it is unclear if the governments of these states were involved in supporting the Afghan resistance.
1985 Group Archive
Government of Afghanistan - Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan
Comment on Name: Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan (Islamic Alliance for the Liberation of Afghanistan) was initially an alliance formed by the six resistance movements in Peshawar in January 1980. When the parties could not cooperate and the alliance fell apart, the leader Abdul Rasul Sayaf created his own organisation out of the alliance. He kept the name Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan for his new rebel group.
Comment on Active: In May, a new attempt to unite the resistance groups based in Peshawar was made. The increasing strength of the Soviet/Afghan operations worried the Mujahideen leaders, and a new alliance, the Islamic Unity of Afghan Mujahideen, was announced. All the seven main resistance groups, both fundamentalist and moderate, were included in the alliance, and to prevent Hizb-i Islami-yi Afghanistan’s leader Hekmatyar from disrupting the alliance, he was made spokesman of it.
Troop Size: 1000-1500
Comment on Troop Size: The estimated number of full-time cadres was 1000-1500. The number of supporters, i.e. the total number that could take up arms at the same time, was 4000.
Secondary Support: The resistance groups in Afghanistan were supported by many governments and private donors; although many of them did not openly admit that they were giving aid to the Mujahideen. The rebel groups themselves also denied that they were receiving training and weapons from foreign sources. Instead, they claimed that their weapons were captured from the Afghan army and that former Afghan soldiers, who had now joined the resistance, were providing them with training. Although the United States had started to support the Mujahideen on a small scale already in 1979, it was not until after the Soviet invasion that the rebels could count on extensive American aid. While the United States continued to officially deny their involvement in Afghanistan, Carter, on 9 January 1980, authorised a program of covert military assistance to the Moslem insurgents. His successor Reagan expressed in March 1981 his willingness to supply the Mujahideen. In a joint action with Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and to some extent, China, the United States started transferring large quantities of arms to the resistance groups in Afghanistan. Until 1985 only communist-block weapons were bought, in an attempt to hide the fact that the United States were giving the Mujahideen material support. Weapons from China and Egypt were shipped to Karachi or, on some occasions, flown to Islamabad in American, Saudi, Chinese or Pakistani planes. When in Pakistan, all military aid was handled by the Pakistan Inter-Services Intelligence, ISI, who transported the arms to the Afghan resistance groups headquarters in Quetta and Peshawar and distributed them among the seven Sunni parties. The parties then brought the arms to border dumps for the commanders in Afghanistan to come and pick them up.In Pakistan, the question of aid to the Afghan rebels was politically sensitive, as they worried about Soviet retaliation if it was revealed that the Pakistani government supported the Mujahideen. There is no evidence that Pakistan provided weapons for the rebels, but they handled almost all the aid, military and financial, that was given to the Mujahideen by others. Pakistan only recognized seven resistance groups in 1983; Mahaz-i Milli-yi Islami-yi Afghanistan, Jabha-yi Nijat-i Milli-yi Afghanistan, Harakat-i Inqilab-i Islami-yi Afghanistan, Jamiyyat-i Islami-yi Afghanistan, Hizb-i Islami-yi Afghanistan, Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan, Hizb-i Islami-yi Afghanistan - Khalis faction. All the support for the Mujahideen that was distributed by Pakistan was divided among those seven on a percentage basis, where Ittihad-i Islami received around 17-18 percent of the resources. Pakistan also administered training for the Afghan resistance and from 1981 there were Pakistani soldiers situated in Afghanistan as military advisers to the commanders.The bulk of the weapons that the United States and Saudi Arabia provided for the Mujahideen was purchased in Egypt and China, but both Egypt and China also sporadically provided weapons as aid. Egypt openly stated that they supported the Afghan resistance. Defence Minister Kamal Hassan announced in early 1980 that Egypt would provide training to the Afghan fighters, and that the combatants would return to Afghanistan with Egyptian weapons. In December 1980 Egyptian President Anwar Sadat said in a TV-interview that Egypt would send more arms, as well as medicine and food, to the Moslem rebels in Afghanistan. When President Sadat was assassinated in October 1981, aid to the Afghan Mujahideen decreased significantly and possibly stopped. How many guerrillas that received training in Egypt, and how many arms that were given to the Afghan resistance by Egypt remains unknown. China, on the other hand, never admitted that they supported the Mujahideen.One of the largest donors was Saudi Arabia which contributed roughly the same amount of money as the United States. In 1983 they provided around $50 million each. Although most of the weapons bought by the United States and Saudi Arabia for the Afghan resistance were shipped to Pakistan, Saudi Arabia occasionally flew in arms deliveries to airports in Rawalpindi and Islamabad.Iran made many statements supporting the Afghan resistance, but supplied little, if any, material aid to the rebel groups.There are also reports that the Gulf States were providing the Moslem guerrillas with financial aid. However, large parts of the funds seem to have been donated by individuals and it is unclear if the governments of these states were involved in supporting the Afghan resistance.
1986 Group Archive
Government of Afghanistan - Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan
Comment on Name: Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan (Islamic Alliance for the Liberation of Afghanistan) was initially an alliance formed by the six resistance movements in Peshawar in January 1980. When the parties could not cooperate and the alliance fell apart, the leader Abdul Rasul Sayaf created his own organisation out of the alliance. He kept the name Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan for his new rebel group.
Comment on Active: The Islamic Unity of Afghan Mujahideen, created by the seven Peshawar-based resistance groups in 1985, persisted during 1986. Hizb-i Islami-yi Afghanistan’s leader Hekmatyar, who had been the alliance’s spokesman during 1985, was replaced by Burhanuddin Rabbani, leader of Jam’iyyat-i Islami-yi Afghanistan.
Troop Size: 1000-1500
Comment on Troop Size: The estimated number of full-time cadres was 1000-1500. The number of supporters, i.e. the total number that could take up arms at the same time, was 4000.
Secondary Support: The resistance groups in Afghanistan were supported by many governments and private donors; although many of them did not openly admit that they were giving aid to the Mujahideen. The rebel groups themselves also denied that they were receiving training and weapons from foreign sources. Instead, they claimed that their weapons were captured from the Afghan army and that former Afghan soldiers, who had now joined the resistance, were providing them with training. Although the United States had started to support the Mujahideen on a small scale already in 1979, it was not until after the Soviet invasion that the rebels could count on extensive American aid. While the United States continued to officially deny their involvement in Afghanistan, Carter, on 9 January 1980, authorised a program of covert military assistance to the Moslem insurgents. His successor Reagan expressed in March 1981 his willingness to supply the Mujahideen. In a joint action with Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and to some extent, China, the United States started transferring large quantities of arms to the resistance groups in Afghanistan. Until 1985 only communist-block weapons were bought, in an attempt to hide the fact that the United States were giving the Mujahideen material support. Weapons from China and Egypt were shipped to Karachi or, on some occasions, flown to Islamabad in American, Saudi, Chinese or Pakistani planes. When in Pakistan, all military aid was handled by the Pakistan Inter-Services Intelligence, ISI, who transported the arms to the Afghan resistance groups headquarters in Quetta and Peshawar and distributed them among the seven Sunni parties. The parties then brought the arms to border dumps for the commanders in Afghanistan to come and pick them up.In Pakistan, the question of aid to the Afghan rebels was politically sensitive, as they worried about Soviet retaliation if it was revealed that the Pakistani government supported the Mujahideen. There is no evidence that Pakistan provided weapons for the rebels, but they handled almost all the aid, military and financial, that was given to the Mujahideen by others. Pakistan only recognized seven resistance groups in 1984; Mahaz-i Milli-yi Islami-yi Afghanistan, Jabha-yi Nijat-i Milli-yi Afghanistan, Harakat-i Inqilab-i Islami-yi Afghanistan, Jamiyyat-i Islami-yi Afghanistan, Hizb-i Islami-yi Afghanistan, Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan, Hizb-i Islami-yi Afghanistan - Khalis faction. All the support for the Mujahideen that was distributed by Pakistan was divided among those seven on a percentage basis, where Ittihad-i Islami received around 17-18 percent of the resources. Pakistan also administered training for the Afghan resistance and from 1981 there were Pakistani soldiers situated in Afghanistan as military advisers to the commanders.The bulk of the weapons that the United States and Saudi Arabia provided for the Mujahideen was purchased in Egypt and China, but both Egypt and China also sporadically provided weapons as aid. Egypt openly stated that they supported the Afghan resistance. Defence Minister Kamal Hassan announced in early 1980 that Egypt would provide training to the Afghan fighters, and that the combatants would return to Afghanistan with Egyptian weapons. In December 1980 Egyptian President Anwar Sadat said in a TV-interview that Egypt would send more arms, as well as medicine and food, to the Moslem rebels in Afghanistan. When President Sadat was assassinated in October 1981, aid to the Afghan Mujahideen decreased significantly and possibly stopped. How many guerrillas that received training in Egypt, and how many arms that were given to the Afghan resistance by Egypt remains unknown. China, on the other hand, never admitted that they supported the Mujahideen.One of the largest donors was Saudi Arabia which contributed roughly the same amount of money as the United States. In 1984 they provided around $80 million each. Although most of the weapons bought by the United States and Saudi Arabia for the Afghan resistance were shipped to Pakistan, Saudi Arabia occasionally flew in arms deliveries to airports in Rawalpindi and Islamabad.Iran made several statements supporting the Afghan resistance, but supplied little, if any, material aid to the rebel groups.There are also reports that the Gulf States were providing the Moslem guerrillas with financial aid. However, large parts of the funds seem to have been donated by individuals and it is unclear if the governments of these states were involved in supporting the Afghan resistance.
1987 Group Archive
Government of Afghanistan - Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan
Comment on Name: Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan (Islamic Alliance for the Liberation of Afghanistan) was initially an alliance formed by the six resistance movements in Peshawar in January 1980. When the parties could not cooperate and the alliance fell apart, the leader Abdul Rasul Sayaf created his own organisation out of the alliance. He kept the name Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan for his new rebel group.
Comment on Active: The Islamic Unity of Afghan Mujahideen, created by the seven Peshawar-based resistance groups in 1985, persisted during 1987. Jam’iyyat-i Islami-yi Afghanistan’s leader Burhanuddin Rabbani, who had been the alliance’s leader during 1986, was replaced in 1987, first by Mohammed Nabi Mohammadi of the Harakat-i Inqilab-i Islami-yi Afghanistan, and later by Maulavi Khalis of the Khalis faction of Hizb-i Islami-yi Afghanistan.
Troop Size: 1000-1500
Comment on Troop Size: The estimated number of full-time cadres was 1000-1500. The number of supporters, i.e. the total number that could take up arms at the same time, was 4000.
Secondary Support: The resistance groups in Afghanistan were supported by many governments and private donors; although many of them did not openly admit that they were giving aid to the Mujahideen. The rebel groups themselves also denied that they were receiving training and weapons from foreign sources. Instead, they claimed that their weapons were captured from the Afghan army and that former Afghan soldiers, who had now joined the resistance, were providing them with training. Although the United States had started to support the Mujahideen on a small scale already in 1979, it was not until after the Soviet invasion that the rebels could count on extensive American aid. While the United States continued to officially deny their involvement in Afghanistan, Carter, on 9 January 1980, authorised a program of covert military assistance to the Moslem insurgents. In a joint action with Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and to some extent, China, the United States started transferring large quantities of arms to the resistance groups in Afghanistan. Until 1985 only communist-block weapons were bought, in an attempt to hide the fact that the United States were giving the Mujahideen material support. Weapons from China and Israel were shipped to Karachi or, on some occasions, flown to Islamabad in American, Saudi, Chinese or Pakistani planes. When in Pakistan, all military aid was handled by the Pakistan Inter-Services Intelligence, ISI, who transported the arms to the Afghan resistance groups headquarters in Quetta and Peshawar and distributed them among the seven Sunni parties. The parties then brought the arms to border dumps for the commanders in Afghanistan to come and pick them up. In 1985, the military aid to the resistance was more openly discussed than in previous years and the US together with the UK provided UK-built anti-aircraft missiles to the Mujahideen. The US also increased the amount of aid substantially, from $80 million in 1984, to $250 million in 1985.In Pakistan, the question of aid to the Afghan rebels was politically sensitive, as they worried about Soviet retaliation if it was revealed that the Pakistani government supported the Mujahideen. There is no evidence that Pakistan provided weapons for the rebels, but they handled almost all the aid, military and financial, that was given to the Mujahideen by others. Pakistan only recognized seven resistance groups in 1985; Mahaz-i Milli-yi Islami-yi Afghanistan, Jabha-yi Nijat-i Milli-yi Afghanistan, Harakat-i Inqilab-i Islami-yi Afghanistan, Jamiyyat-i Islami-yi Afghanistan, Hizb-i Islami-yi Afghanistan, Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan, Hizb-i Islami-yi Afghanistan - Khalis faction. All the support for the Mujahideen that was distributed by Pakistan was divided among those seven on a percentage basis, where Ittihad-i Islami received around 17-18 percent of the resources. Pakistan also administered training for the Afghan resistance and from 1981 there were Pakistani soldiers situated in Afghanistan as military advisers to the commanders.The bulk of the weapons that the United States and Saudi Arabia provided for the Mujahideen was purchased in Israel and China, but China also sporadically provided weapons as aid. However, they never admitted that they supported the Mujahideen.One of the largest donors was Saudi Arabia which contributed roughly the same amount of money as the United States. In 1985 they provided around $250 million each. Although most of the weapons bought by the United States and Saudi Arabia for the Afghan resistance were shipped to Pakistan, Saudi Arabia occasionally flew in arms deliveries to airports in Rawalpindi and Islamabad.Iran made several statements supporting the Afghan resistance, but supplied little, if any, material aid to the rebel groups.There are also reports that the Gulf States were providing the Moslem guerrillas with financial aid. However, large parts of the funds seem to have been donated by individuals and it is unclear if the governments of these states were involved in supporting the Afghan resistance.
1988 Group Archive
Government of Afghanistan - Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan
Comment on Name: Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan (Islamic Alliance for the Liberation of Afghanistan) was initially an alliance formed by the six resistance movements in Peshawar in January 1980. When the parties could not cooperate and the alliance fell apart, the leader Abdul Rasul Sayaf created his own organisation out of the alliance. He kept the name Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan for his new rebel group.
Comment on Active: The Islamic Unity of Afghan Mujahideen, created by the seven Peshawar-based resistance groups in 1985, persisted during 1988. In mid-March the leader of the alliance, Maulavi Khalis of the Khalis faction of Hizb-i Islami-yi Afghanistan resigned due to health issues. He was replaced by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar from the Hizb-i Islami-yi Afghanistan, and later by Syed Ahmad Gailani from the Mahaz-i Milli-yi Islami-yi Afghanistan. In June, the Mujahideen named the cabinet they wanted to replace the regime in Kabul.
Troop Size: 1000-1500
Comment on Troop Size: The estimated number of full-time cadres was 1000-1500. The number of supporters, i.e. the total number that could take up arms at the same time, was 4000.
Secondary Support: The resistance groups in Afghanistan were supported by many governments and private donors; although many of them did not openly admit that they were giving aid to the Mujahideen. The rebel groups themselves also denied that they were receiving training and weapons from foreign sources. Instead, they claimed that their weapons were captured from the Afghan army and that former Afghan soldiers, who had now joined the resistance, were providing them with training. Although the United States had started to support the Mujahideen on a small scale already in 1979, it was not until after the Soviet invasion that the rebels could count on extensive American aid. While the United States continued to officially deny their involvement in Afghanistan, Carter, on 9 January 1980, authorised a program of covert military assistance to the Moslem insurgents. In a joint action with Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and to some extent, China, the United States started transferring large quantities of arms to the resistance groups in Afghanistan. Until 1985 only communist-block weapons were bought, in an attempt to hide the fact that the United States were giving the Mujahideen material support. Weapons from China and Israel were shipped to Karachi or, on some occasions, flown to Islamabad in American, Saudi, Chinese or Pakistani planes. When in Pakistan, all military aid was handled by the Pakistan Inter-Services Intelligence, ISI, who transported the arms to the Afghan resistance groups headquarters in Quetta and Peshawar and distributed them among the seven Sunni parties. The parties then brought the arms to border dumps for the commanders in Afghanistan to come and pick them up. From 1985 an onwards, the military aid to the resistance was more openly discussed than in previous years and the US together with the UK provided both UK-built anti-aircraft missiles, and American Stinger missiles to the Mujahideen. The US also increased the amount of aid substantially, from $250 million in 1985 to $470 million in 1986In Pakistan, the question of aid to the Afghan rebels was politically sensitive, as they worried about Soviet retaliation if it was revealed that the Pakistani government supported the Mujahideen. There is no evidence that Pakistan provided weapons for the rebels, but they handled almost all the aid, military and financial, that was given to the Mujahideen by others. Pakistan only recognized seven resistance groups in 1986; Mahaz-i Milli-yi Islami-yi Afghanistan, Jabha-yi Nijat-i Milli-yi Afghanistan, Harakat-i Inqilab-i Islami-yi Afghanistan, Jamiyyat-i Islami-yi Afghanistan, Hizb-i Islami-yi Afghanistan, Ittihad-i Islami Bara-yi Azadi-yi Afghanistan, Hizb-i Islami-yi Afghanistan - Khalis faction. All the support for the Mujahideen that was distributed by Pakistan was divided among those seven on a percentage basis, where Ittihad-i Islami received around 17-18 percent of the resources. Pakistan also administered training for the Afghan resistance and from 1981 there were Pakistani soldiers situated in Afghanistan as military advisers to the commanders.The bulk of the weapons that the United States and Saudi Arabia provided for the Mujahideen was purchased in Israel and China, but China also sporadically provided weapons as aid. However, they never admitted that they supported the Mujahideen.One of the largest donors was Saudi Arabia which contributed roughly the same amount of money as the United States. In 1986 they provided around $470 million each. Although most of the weapons bought by the United States and Saudi Arabia for the Afghan resistance were shipped to Pakistan, Saudi Arabia occasionally flew in arms deliveries to airports in Rawalpindi and Islamabad.There are also reports that the Gulf States were providing the Moslem guerrillas with financial aid. However, large parts of the funds seem to have been donated by individuals and it is unclear if the governments of these states were involved in supporting the Afghan resistance.
