October 30, 2001	Tuesday	Shaba'an 12, 1422

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BAJAUR, Oct 29: The first contingent of around 200 volunteer fighters on Monday reached Afghanistan’s eastern province Kunar to fight for Taliban against the allied forces.

Led by the Amir of Tanzeem-i-Nefaz-i-Shariah Muhammadi, Maulana Sufi Mohammad, the volunteers were armed with rocket launchers, missiles, Klashnikovs and hand grenades.

Thousands of volunteers hailing from the Dir district and Bajaur Agency camped near the Pakistan-Afghan border in the Agency for the last two days are waiting for a call from the TNSM amir to cross into Afghanistan.

The TNSM amir would hold talks with the governors of Kunar and Nangarhar provinces and finalize the strategy as to when the volunteers cross into Afghanistan.

Kunar’s deputy minister for rural development Maulana Habibullah, along with three other companions, met Sufi Mohammad on the border and led the volunteers into Afghanistan. The group comprises 20 TNSM workers from Bajaur, including Maulana Ismail, Maulvi Mohammad Liaquat, Maulvi Obaidullah, Bacha Gul, Aziz Mohammad and Qari Ghulam Saeed, and about 30 personal guards of Sufi Mohammad.

Thousands of armed tribesmen standing on both sides of the road to the Pakistan-Afghan border waved the group of volunteers to Afghanistan. Strict security measures had been adopted at the time of departure of the group.

Sufi Mohammad, while talking to Dawn said that they were going to Afghanistan on the invitation of the Taliban authorities.

“There we would hold talks with the Governor of Kunar, Maulvi Abdur Rauf Khaddam. Khaddam will accompany us to Nangrahar, where we will meet Governor Maulvi Obaidul Kabir, and then leave for Jalalabad. From there we will give a call to the armed volunteers to cross into Afghanistan,” the TNSM Amir said.

Sufi Mohammad said that thousands of volunteer fighters from Paindakhel and Sultankhel tribes of the Dir district had joined the caravan on Monday to fight against the American forces. He said that in the present situation Jihad had become mandatory on all Muslims, adding, “those not getting ready to participate in the Jihad are not Muslims in our view.”

He said that he might also go Kandahar “to meet the Amirul Momineen, Mulla Mohammad Omar,” there. He said that the government of Pakistan had extended cooperation to America against the Muslims of Afghanistan under duress. “This is equal to enmity with Islam,” he observed.

The TNMS chief said that if America called off the air strikes, the conflict could be resolved. If the US didn’t stop the attacks, “then Jihad is the best way for us,” he added.

Reports reaching here from Assadabad, the capital of Kunar province, suggest that the group was extended a warm welcome on arriving at Kunar by senior Taliban officials, Jihad commanders, ulema and the governor of Kunar.