Resurgence of Suicide and Martyrdom Rhetoric: Concerns Over Afghanistan’s Security Future.
Abdul Mateen Qana, spokesperson for the Taliban Ministry of Interior, made controversial statements asserting that all members of the Taliban are “suicidal” fighters and that the group has established a special suicide battalion to protect what it calls “Islamic values.”
Amid growing concerns over the spread of extremist ideology and the militarization of Afghan society, Qana stated in a video interview that the Taliban require individuals willing to “sacrifice their lives, property, and families” for the group.
He emphasized that the suicide battalion is a “need at all times” and claimed that every Taliban member also possesses the mindset and readiness for martyrdom.
These statements come against the backdrop of the use of suicide operatives in groups like the Taliban, ISIS, and Al-Qaeda, primarily for targeted attacks and mass-casualty operations.
During the Republican era, Taliban suicide attackers were repeatedly deployed against mosques, schools, hospitals, universities, restaurants, government offices, and military installations, resulting in thousands of civilian deaths.
The Haqqani Network, responsible for training and organizing Taliban suicide operatives, previously reported that over the past two decades, more than one thousand such attackers carried out missions and detonated themselves, highlighting ongoing concerns about civilian security and the militarization of Afghan society.
