Afghan Biographies

Khan, Kamal


Name Khan, Kamal
Ethnic backgr.
Date of birth
Function/Grade Jombesh Commander
History and Biodata

3. Biodata:
Kamal Khan is a strongman and Jombesh Commander in Sar-e-Pul Province. He is a Jombeshi military officer and has commanded the former 82nd Division of the pre-Taleban mujahedin regime’s army. He also is the brother of notorious commander Payenda Khan who was an MP from 2005 to 2010. 
Payenda Khan, an Arab by ethnicity (a small minority in Afghanistan), was one of the ‘celebrity cases’ of parliamentary vetting in 2004/05, because he was one of the most well-known candidates with illegal armed groups links who figured prominently on the ‘yellow lists’ of suspicious candidates discussed between Afghan authorities and international community representatives. ISAF – with its knowledge about allied commanders - tended to keep silent in these rounds. That Payenda made it on the ballot is a striking example for the failure (or better sabotage) of the vetting by Afghan authorities.

‘Malek’ Azemi is the son of a Sarepul governor from the times of the Karmal regime (1979-1986, then it was still a district, not a province). Dostum protected many former PDPA/Watan Party cadres when he held the Afghan north, until 1998, against the Taleban regime.

There is the oilfield of Angut which had been under General Abdulrashid Dostum, the Jombesh leader’s, control and the revenue from which he used to pay local commanders loyal to him. The Kabul government just had tendered the wider region and the China National Petroleum Corporationwon the bid. The deal could be worth $700 million.(20111228)

Last Modified 2012-02-10
Established 2012-02-10