Informed observers have pointed out a few other interesting items from the Taliban’s recently released videotape that showed a “white Taliban” fighter who is very likely a young Nuristani. In the video, you can see Chechens and what appear to be Arab and Pakistani fighters intermixed with the Taliban [LWJ noted from day one that the Shadow Army was involved in this attack]. Several Taliban commanders are also seen on the video. The following is from an email from a military officer who recently served in Kamdesh, concerning the Chechen factor:
As far as Chechens, its not rare for the Taliban to mass foreign fighters on high level attacks such as the attack on Keating. You can usually tell when they are in the area because accuracy of weapon systems goes up due to their extensive training and combat experience. You can also note almost all of them have a “special” weapon other then the AK-47 and wear a head band, while I have never seen a Nuristani fighter wear a head band… Specifically what got me was the grenade launcher on the AK-47. These are rarely used by Nuristanis due to the extreme lack of ammunition availability. Their kits also seem of higher quality where most of the Nuristani fighters use their pockets or the common green AK-47 front vest.
Some select images from the tape are below; the full video is at the end.
7:36-7:42 Four Chechens with headbands are walking through the column. They can be seen again at 7:57.
8:29 Mauluvi Inayatullah giving a sermon to the “mujahideen.”
9:10 At the far right, the fighter with shirt sleeves rolled up (the bodybuilder type) appears to be a Chechen as well. There also appear to be Arabs and Pakistanis throughout this group, too.
19:26 A Chechen firing an RPG.
36:00 and 38:13 The shadow district governor of Kamdesh, Maulvi Abdul Zahed. His face (right side) is bandaged, wounded from the fighting at FOB Keating.
Video:
