Afghan Biographies

Mullah Raz Mohammad Nangialai


Name Mullah Raz Mohammad Nangialai
Ethnic backgr. Pashtun
Date of birth
Function/Grade Taliban Leader Shindand District Herat Province
History and Biodata

3. Biodata Mullah Nangialai:
Raz Muhammad Raz Mohammad Nangialy, aka Jawed Nangialay is Amanullah’s son. He brought the closest relatives to Quetta/Pakistan and officially joined the Taleban. Zerkuh, in particular, with most of its traditional elite antagonised by the government and on the run, underwent a significant radicalisation and became a bastion of the insurgency. Despite being based mostly in Pakistan, in subsequent years Amanullah’s son, Nangialay, would become the most renowned Taleban commander in the district. Many of Amanullah’s former sub-commanders joined the Taleban as well, either for ideological reasons or for opportunity.(2007) In late 2014 or early 2015, Nangialay decided to move back to Zerkuh and to reside there permanently, even bringing back his family from Pakistan.

Fighting took place in the village of Zirkoh in Herat’s Shindand district, which is said to be under Taliban control. Mansour’s followers were led by Mullah Abdul Samad, while Rasul’s followers were led by Raz Mohammad Nangialy, according to Khaama Press. Nangialy’s fighters “set fire to their rival’s bases” after Samad’s followers initiated the fighting. Samad is said to have been wounded. The details of the fighting could not be confirmed independently. The Taliban said that four of Nangyal’s lieutenants, known as “Shabak, Pes Khudairam, Pahlawanak and Abdul Himmat,” were killed in the fighting.

Mullah Samad is an ideological Taleb who had previously run a madrassa in Farmakan village, was in charge of the Taleban front controlling the southern part of Zerkuh valley, which is less populated, more rugged and further away from the district centre. Samad had proven to be the most active insurgent leader during Nangialay’s absence, and even after the latter’s return he turned out to be the more aggressive of the two.

Shindand is a stronghold of Rasul’s splinter Taliban group, which is called the “High Council of Afghanistan Islamic Emirate.” In November, Rasul addressed a crowd of 6,000 people in Zirkoh in which he said he supports both al Qaeda and the Islamic State, but “we will not let them in [Afghanistan] nor will we agree with them in this country,” he said.(20151208)

Early March 2016, local officials said that clashes between the two top Taliban leaders, Mullah Samad and Mullah Nangialai, broke out in Shindand district. Preliminary reports suggested that at last 67 Taliban militants had been killed and 65 others had been wounded in clashes. The March clashes between the Taliban factions followed almost three months after a similar clash broke out between the rival groups in this province. 
In those day (in early March 2016) that it was said that Taliban had attacked Shindand region in Herat province and exactly at the time when Mullah Nangialai, a deputy of Mullah Rasoul, had been injured, news came out about the death of Mullah Rasoul, but his death was concealed by the group. It is rumored, that Mullah Nangialai is secretly cooperating with the Kabul Government receiving advise, money and weapons.(20161004)

 

Clashes inflicted casualties to fighters loyal to Taliban leader Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada and forces allied with Mullah Nangialai, a former militant commander who leads a breakaway faction in western parts of the country. The clashes began in “Langru” and “Awrayeen” areas of the district, leaving 11 dead, 10 injured to fighters loyal to Akhundzada while forces allied with Nangialai suffering three dead and six wounded in the incident.(20190123)

Last Modified 2019-01-23
Established 2016-10-04