SUMMARY

Politics in Afghanistan have often been characterized by violent power struggles between different leaders and groups. Although often labeled ethnic or tribal, the conflicts have been fought along more intricate patterns, often motivated by personal grudges, blood feud, regional power dynamics and/or the control of territory.

The differences between the leader of Hizb-i-Wahdat, Abdul Ali Mazari, and the leader of the splinter faction, stemmed from personal grudges and a power struggle within the party. They represented different factions of Hizb-i-Wahdat, which originally had been formed as an attempt to unite the different Shia groups active in the Hazarajat area of Afghanistan. During the 1990s, Hizb-i-Wahdat’s loyalties shifted as numerous armed groups in Afghanistan vied for power. It initially supported the Government of Afghanistan after the Mujahideen groups ousted the communist President Mohammad Najibullah and took over in 1992. However, by December it was fighting actively against it (see Government of Afghanistan - Hizb-i Wahdat) and suffered heavy losses in the Kabul area. Akbari, which was based in Hazarajat rather than in Kabul, did not agree with the group’s alliance choices and as a result, Hizb-i Wahdat – Akbari faction splintered from Hizb-i-Wahdat in support of the government in 1994. Akbari, with a multiethnic profile, claimed to be fighting for national unity while Mazari advocated rights for Hazaras and accused Akbari’s supporters of being traitors.

The relationship between the two factions continued to be tense for many years, and they clashed on several occasions in the 1990s and early 2000s. The fighting was concentrated to Hazara areas in Kabul, Wardak and Sari Pul.

The non-state conflict between Hizb-i Wahdat and Hizb-i Wahdat -Akbari faction is first included in UCDP data in 1996. In December of that year, clashes between the two groups had resulted in more than 25 battle-related deaths.