PESHAWAR, Oct 19: Former Afghan Jihadi commanders are making behind the scene moves in Peshawar to muster support of the countries presently engaged in dislodging Taliban, sources said here on Friday.

“Pakistan can play a decisive role to dislodge the ruling Taliban and should allow its old well-wishers to launch operation against the Taliban from its territory,” commented one commander on the condition of anonymity.

He said he had arrived in Peshawar to attend the eastern Nangarhar province shoora meeting which was held here on Thursday. Many tribal elders and former Nangarhar shoora members told this correspondent that the anti-Taliban forces which remained very active during the war against Russia had gone underground due to Pakistan’s pro-Taliban policy.

Feeling a visible shift in Pakistan’s Afghanistan policy, the former Jihadi commanders resurfaced to organise themselves and forge unity among their ranks against the Taliban regime and to ensure share in the future setup. Many warlords, including Haji Qadeer, former governor of the Nangarhar province, who were deported from Pakistan for their anti-Taliban activities have received a green signal from Pakistan. Haji Qadeer is expected to reach Kunar in a few days, sources said.

Afghan elders believe that without Pakistan’s support these commanders could do nothing. “We need military and financial support and Pakistan should re-organise anti-Taliban forces,” they said.

Afghan commanders believe that Taliban have been demoralised by the continuing US strikes. A commander, who arrived in Peshawar two days ago, said: “The beleaguered Taliban rulers are now on the back of a pickup to run their  shaky government.” He said the Al-Qaida organisation had some 500 fighters who were ready for ground attack. “The Al-Qaida activists — Arabs, Chechens and African nationals — are in a do-or-die state,” he said.

Another commander belonging to Khugiani district, Nangarhar, dispelled the Taliban claims that the US war planes had targeted civilian population. “The Taliban  are absolutely wrong as the US planes targeted only the hideouts of Al-Qaida at Kurhom village. Only few civilians were killed in the attack,” he said.

The Taliban claimed that around 200 civilians were killed in Kurhom village bombing.