Meet ‘monster’ Abdul Raziq, US’ beloved general in Afghanistan

Once hailed as a “great friend” and a “patriot” by the US, General Abdul Raziq, an Afghan national, has now become one of the ugly faces of the American occupation of Afghanistan, which makes the return of the Taliban seem more plausible in the eyes of regional observers.

According to The New York Times investigation, in which nearly 1,000 families have testified against Raziq and dozens of handwritten ledgers spanning a decade provided by the Taliban, Raziq has carried out a systematic campaign of forced disappearances that killed hundreds, if not thousands, of people.

These ledgers cover the period from 2011 until the collapse of the American-backed Republic of Afghanistan in 2021.

According to the news outlet, Raziq “was seen as the only partner capable of beating the Taliban in the heartland of the insurgency.”

Including almost 2,200 identified cases of suspected disappearances in Kandahar Province alone, the number stands as a gross undercount.

Here's what you need to know about today’s “monster”, Abdul Raziq, once the US’ most beloved ally.

1. General Raziq served as the chief of police in charge of security throughout Kandahar. He was revered by the US. military for his reputation as a formidable fighter and a steadfast ally. American generals regularly visited him, considering him a symbol of strength and partnership.

2. He orchestrated a systematic effort of forced disappearances, resulting in the deaths of hundreds, potentially thousands, of individuals.

3. His prowess on the battlefield was rooted in years of torture, extrajudicial killings, and what The Times uncovered as the largest-known campaign of forced disappearances during America's two-decade-long involvement in Afghanistan.

4. There were at least 368 instances of forced disappearances and numerous extrajudicial killings linked to American-supported forces under General Raziq, as reported by families, witnesses, and official documentation. However, this figure is likely a significant underestimate. The New York Times only included cases that had been verified by at least two sources. Additionally, many families of the victims were unreachable, and others chose not to file complaints, suggesting that the true extent of the atrocities may be much higher.

5. He was shot dead by an allegedly undercover Taliban assassin in 2018. This occurred while he stood alongside the leading American commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Austin S. Miller, who had previously praised him as a "great friend" and "patriot."