Ismail Khan: Led fight against Russians

February 7, 2000
Web posted at: 4:39 p.m. HKT (0839 GMT)

LONDON (CNN) -- Ismail Khan, whose release from prison could hold the key to ending a hostage standoff at London's Stansted Airport, is considered a hero by those who fought beside him against the Russians.

According to unconfirmed wire service reports, the hijackers holding 165 people aboard an Afghan Airlines plane at Stansted are demanding the release of Khan, who has been jailed by Afghanistan's ruling Taliban since 1997.

Khan, an ethnic Tajik born in 1942 and a key opposition figure in Afghanistan, fought to expel the Russians from his country. Many of his battles were well publicized, including the June 1985 attack he led against Shindand air base. More than 20 MiG planes were destroyed in that battle.

In July 1987, commanders from across Afghanistan and from resistance parties, attending a conference Khan hosted, demanded Russia's withdrawal from the nation, and the Communist government's unconditional surrender.

The government's forces in Western Afghanistan surrendered to Khan on April 19, 1992, after the Communists fell. Khan was promoted to the army's top job, and trade links, schools and hospitals were reopened in Herat.

Khan eventually became governor of Herat province, which borders Iran, and served in that position when the Taliban launched an offensive against opposition groups in Afghanistan's north.

He was also supreme commander, or Amir, of Afghanistan's Herat, Ghor and Farah provinces, and reportedly helped transform Herat into a peaceful, cosmopolitan center which underwent rapid reconstruction.

Khan became frustrated by warring in other regions of his country. He called a conference in July 1994 -- and invited all party leaders, commanders and hundreds of Afghan intellectuals -- to try and find a peaceful end to the conflict.

Survivors of the fighting said Khan was a respected governor because he tried to end the looting, rapes and murders that followed the central government's collapse when the Taliban marched on the capital, Kabul.

Khan, however, was eventually overpowered, and his enemies seized control of Herat City. Khan, trying to prevent the destruction of the city's architecture, retreated. He was arrested by the Taliban and has since been imprisoned in Kandahar.

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U.S. to Taliban:We will hold you responsible for any attacks linked to bin Laden
December 14, 1999

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan
KABUL, Afghanistan
United Nations
BAA - Stansted
CIA--The World Factbook 1999--Afghanistan

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