Former Taliban Militants were the Assailants on UN Offices in Mazar-e-Sharif

A preliminary report of the fact finding mission sent to Mazar-e-Sharif to investigate the mishap that led to the death of UN staffers and Nepalese guards during a demonstration against the desecration of the Holy Quran has found former Taliban fighters, who had given up arms, involved in the most violent protests that the city has seen in decades. These so-called former Taliban fighters had given up arms and joined the peace process after renouncing violence.

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The protests were held on the first day of April (by a mob of emotionally charged protestors) to register their resentments towards Pastor Terry Jone’s burning of the Holy Quran in an evangelical church in Florida. It has also been reported that the protests were preceded by provocative speeches by the local clerics. “The peaceful protests were turned to violence by a group of five members of the Ulema Council (Council of Clergy), who led the protests towards the UN offices” the fact finding mission has found.

The delegation read out its initial findings in the Parliament identifying the five clerics as the main actors and directors of the protest. According to the findings, the clerics changed the normal route of the protestors and led them towards the UNAMA offices in the city. The delegation has also found active involvement of a few former Taliban fighters. The delegation member Roghul Khairzad said, “Some of the Taliban fighters who had joined the peace process were residing in a safe house in Mazar-e-Sharif were involved in the attacks”. The delegation has also reported the arrests of 33 individuals; charges have been leveled against at least 15 of them and evidences have been collected against them too.