Remembering Abdul Ali Mazari on his 28th death anniversary

A clergyman with progressive views by the late 20th century Afghanistan standards.

Abdul Ali Mazari was a prominent politician, military commander, and leader of the Hazara ethnic group in Afghanistan. Born in 1946 in the town of Charkint, in the northern province of Balkh, he spent his early years studying Islamic law and worked as a teacher before turning to politics in the late 1970s.

Mazari was a vocal critic of the Soviet-backed government that came to power in Afghanistan in 1978. He quickly became involved in the resistance movement, joining the mujahideen and fighting against the Soviet occupation in the 1980s. During this time, he became known for his bravery and leadership.

After the Soviet withdrawal in 1989, Mazari returned to Afghanistan and helped to establish the Hezb-e Wahdat party, which was dedicated to promoting the interests of the Hazara people. In 1992, Mazari found himself caught in the middle of a power struggle in Kabul, aka Kabul Civil Wars, and he was eventually captured and killed by the Taliban on 13th March 1995.

Abdul Ali Mazari, the Hazara leader and founder of Hezb-e-Wahdat, championed the calls for social justice in Afghanistan. He advocated for proportional ethnic representation…