Part 2
Written by: Tahir Ahrar
In the aftermath of the American-led invasion of Iraq, Sunni Muslims were ensnared in a battle on two formidable fronts: on one side, they faced the tyrannical Shiite regime and the overwhelming might of NATO forces, while on the other, they grappled with the sectarian ferocity of the Iraqi Shiite militias. Despite being divided into various groups, Iraqi Sunnis remained united against their common enemies.
In Iraq, the Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi emerged as the venerated leader of the Sunnis. With ambitions to topple the Jordanian regime, he established the Jamaat al-Tawhid wal-Jihad, a militant organization that remained active until 2006.
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi first came into the limelight in 2004. He gained fame rapidly due to successful attacks against U.S. forces and his strategic planning in warfare. He continued his militant activities under the umbrella of al-Qaeda.
Before delving into al-Zarqawi’s affiliation with al-Qaeda, a brief exposition on the origins of al-Qaeda, its leadership, and the motivations behind its formation is warranted.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflicts in the Middle East, especially the occupation of Jerusalem, compelled Muslims worldwide, particularly young Arabs, to join the jihadist movement. Frustrated with their governments’ failure to support the Palestinians, many of these youths opposed their own rulers and joined the fight against Israel.
Between 1988 and 1990, as the Mujahideen began to see hope in their struggle against the Soviet Union, an Arab militant named Osama bin Laden gathered these young Arabs under the banner of al-Qaeda. Many Arab youths migrated to Afghanistan to participate in the war against the Soviets.
Al-Qaeda provided support to the Mujahideen, established training camps, offered military training, and played a pivotal role in the Soviet Union’s defeat, gaining international recognition.
After the Soviet Union’s collapse, Osama bin Laden and many Arab fighters returned to Saudi Arabia. However, serious disagreements soon emerged between Bin Laden and the Saudi royal family, particularly over the presence of U.S. forces in the Kingdom. As a result, Bin Laden moved to Sudan.
In Sudan, he established training camps for militants and trained a significant number of youths in jihadist ideology. Meanwhile, Afghanistan descended into internecine strife as various jihadist factions clashed for supremacy. Bin Laden returned to Afghanistan, striving to mediate the discord and foster reconciliation among the feuding Mujahideen. This was a time of great turmoil and rampant injustice in Afghanistan, conditions that gave birth to the Taliban movement, which rapidly quashed the anarchy and laid the foundation for an Islamic government.
However, the seismic events of September 11, 2001, precipitated the American invasion that dismantled the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, plunging the country into occupation under U.S. forces. Osama bin Laden subsequently fled to Pakistan, where, after years of eluding capture, he met his end in a U.S. military raid.
-To be continued…
