Inventory of the Afghan partisan serials collection
Finding aid prepared by Hoover Institution Library and Archives Staff and F.
A. Bernett Books
Hoover Institution Library and Archives
© 2016
434 Galvez Mall
Stanford University
Stanford, CA 94305-6003
hoover-library-archives@stanford.edu
Title: Afghan partisan serials collection
Date (inclusive): 1968-2011
Collection Number: 2016C32
Contributing Institution: Hoover Institution Library and Archives
Language of Material:
Pushto; Pashto
Physical Description:
14 manuscript boxes, 24 oversize boxes
(53.8 Linear Feet)
Abstract: Consists of more
than four thousand individual issues of twenty-nine newspapers, journals, and
magazines published in Dari, Pushto, Arabic, and English by various Afghan
organizations (political and other) relating to political conditions and warfare in
Afghanistan. Afghanistan's social and intellectual landscape is represented by the
Taliban and anti-Soviet Mujaheddin groups; the communist People's Democratic Party;
exiled loyalists to the deposed Afghan monarchy; independent humanitarians and
intellectuals; and minority political parties that emerged following the post-2001
transition toward democracy. The digital collection is accessible in the Archives'
reading room or for Stanford affiliated users at
https://apshoover.eastview.com.
Physical Location: Hoover Institution Library &
Archives
Access
Use
For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Library &
Archives.
Acquisition Information
Materials were acquired by the Hoover Institution Library & Archives in 2016.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Afghan partisan serials collection, [Persistent URL],
Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
Historical Note
The collection of newspapers, journals, and magazines in Dari, Pushto, Arabic, and
English represent the viewpoints of diverse groups, including the leftist
revolutionary People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan, Zahir Shah-loyalists,
various factions of Afghan Mujaheddin and foreign-backed jihadists, the Taliban-led
government of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, as well as the Karzai regime,
during a tumultuous period in the nation's history in which successive waves of
foreign influence and invasion destabilized the region, resulting in more than three
decades of armed struggle.
Print material in the collection covers events including the aftermath of the 1978
Saur revolution, the lives of political exiles and refugees in Pakistan, the complex
interactions of anti-Soviet insurgency groups and their foreign backers in the U.S.
and the Muslim world, the fall of Najibullah and civil war thereafter, the
radicalization of foreign fighters in Kunar and Tora Bora, the rise and fall of the
Taliban, the events of September 11, 2001, "Operation Enduring Freedom," the
establishment of Hamid Karzai as president, and the continuing International
Security Assistance Force (ISAF) coalition occupation. Ranging from radical
Islamists in favor of global jihad to cautious social democrats in support of civil
society, the collection demonstrates the extraordinary range of ideologies and
voices competing for mindshare in modern Afghanistan.
Many of the serials are vividly illustrated with reproductions of photographic
portraits, battlefield scenes, cityscapes, and martyrs fallen to various causes,
while others, in accordance with strict interpretation of Sharia law, eschew visual
imagery altogether.
Scope and Content of Collection
The Afghan partisan serials collection consists of serials issued by various Afghan
organizations (political and other) relating to political conditions and warfare in
Afghanistan. The digital collection contains more than 4,000 individual issues of 29
newspapers, journals, and magazines published in Dari, Pushto, Arabic, and English
and is accessible in the Archives' reading room or for Stanford affiliated users at
>https://gpa.eastview.com/asc
.
In the digital collection, each publication contains an English-language translation,
as well as vernacular text and transliterations of all titles, subtitles and
mastheads, and publishers. A holistic transliteration methodology was adopted which
was informed through recourse to WorldCat references and other digital holdings,
linguistic preference for Dari and Pushto words of Arabic origin (i.e. Hizb rather
than Hezb, or Mujaheddin rather than Mojahedin), and finally, popular convention and
deference to spellings preferred by the publication itself (Hewad rather than
Haywad, for instance). Lastly, true to the intent of the media as a fluid medium
that places a premium on communication and absorption of information, diacritical
markings that are a mainstay in scholarly publications are largely absent.
Discovery for newspapers is at the issue-page level; discovery for journals is at the
article level (with a rich search discovery possible for key words and names in
journal article titles and article authors). Presentation is in the form of scanned
images in PDF format.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Afghanistan -- History
The People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA)
Publications
1968-1991
Scope and Contents note
Before and after Daoud Khan's 1973 coup, various leftist revolutionaries and
reformists sought a presence in the nation's political consciousness. From
Babrak Karmal's Parcham ("Flag") party and its eponymous newspaper to
Akhbar Hafta, a popular weekly magazine published
during the final days of Najibullah's regime, print newspapers and magazines
helped Afghan leftists communicate their ideas to literate audiences in
urban centers.
پرچم (Parcham, Banner), حوت 1346
(Hut) 23 - حوت 1347 (Hut) 26
(1968 March 13 - 1969 March
17)
Scope and Contents note
No. 1 through no. 52 (complete first year). 52 issues (circa 4 pages
each, with duplication of no. 49), comprising what appears to be a
complete run of the first year of Babrak Karmal's Parcham communist
party (PDPA) newspaper, edited by Sulaiman Laiq and alternately issued
in Dari and Pushto, covering cultural and political life in Afghanistan,
largely text, illustrated with a few photographs. Significant mold and
mildew damage, which, according to a source, occurred due to the
volume's burial in a cellar during Taliban times when ownership of
Parchamite political materials was illegal. Published in Kabul,
Afghanistan from 1968-1969 (1346-1347).
Founded by Babrak Karmal, the Parcham party and its newspaper promoted a
more democratic version of socialist ideology than other factions of the
PDPA, focusing on women's rights, social justice, youth participation,
and broad economic interests. This serial was published during the
transitional years between Mohammad Zahir Shah's rule and the
establishment of Sardar Mohammed Daoud Khan's revolutionary government;
the party and its serial promoted wider unity between Afghanistan's
ethnicities. The newspaper continued for four additional months, through
July 1969; those issues are not present in this collection.
کمک (Kumak, Help), اسد 1347 (Asad)
10
(1968 August 1)
Scope and Contents note
No. 1 (all published?). A single issue comprising what an expert source
says is a complete run of M. Yaqub Kurnak's banned and confiscated
publication covering social and political issues of national relevance,
including articles on the struggle for authentic democracy in
Afghanistan, the importance of an independent media, the rule of law,
economic independence, and equal rights for all and peace between ethnic
enclaves, among other topics, illustrated with two anti-U.S. editorial
cartoons. Published in Kabul, Afghanistan (Kumak) in 1968 (1347).
In an editorial manifesto printed in both Dari and Pushto, the editor
invites all the people of Afghanistan to join him in a progressive
nationalist program to defend the country against invaders and preserve
national unity.
خلق (Khalq, People), حمل 1358
(Hamal) 22 - جد 1358 (Jadi) 3
(1979 April 11 - 1979
December 24)
Scope and Contents note
Vol. 2, no. 1 (issue 7) through Vol. 2, no. 40 (issue 45) (complete
second series; numbering erratic). 40 issues, circa 4-12 pages each
(some double number issues), comprising what appears to be a complete
run of the second series of Noor Mohammad Taraki's
Khalq (Masses) communist party newspaper edited by Abdul
Qayum Nauroozi, alternately issued in Dari and Pushto, illustrated with
photographs of industrial, social, and scientific progress in
Afghanistan, as well as political cartoons criticizing imperialists and
foreigners bent on interfering in the country's affairs. Published in
Kabul, Afghanistan (Khana Khalq, Qasr Dilkusha) in 1979 (1358).
This serial served as the official organ of the Khalq party, the Pashtun
majority faction of the PDPA. The present collection covers the period
directly after the assassination of Mohammad Daoud Khan during the 1978
Saur revolution, from Taraki's presidency through Hafizullah Amin's
September 1979 coup and the Soviet invasion only three months after.
اخبار هفته (Akhbar-e Haftah, Weekly
News)
, حمل 1369 (Hamal) 1 - عقرب 1370 (Aqrab) 30
(1990 March 21 - 1991
November 21)
Scope and Contents note
Year 2, no. 12 (also called no. 64) through Year 3, no. 45 (incomplete
run, inconsistently numbered; serial numbers do not coincide with year
or issue). 81 consecutive issues of the popular weekly news magazine,
circa 16-32 pages each, in Dari and Pushto (edited by Abdullah Bashir
Shor), published by the Soviet-supported government of Mohammad
Najibullah during the last two years of his reign (after the USSR had
left Afghanistan, but prior to the Mujaheddin control of Kabul) covering
Afghan culture and politics, entertainment, cinema, pop music, world
events, and the ongoing struggle against the Mujaheddin through the end
of PDPA rule, illustrated throughout with reproductions of satirical
cartoons and photographs. Issue no. 68 lacks pages 5-6. Published in
Kabul, Afghanistan (Akhbar Halla) from 1990-1991 (1369-1370).
In general, the publication reflects PDPA party line politics, attacking
U.S leadership under George Bush, criticizing the first Gulf War,
praising Gorbachev, and evaluating the revolutionary events in Eastern
Europe. Despite its ideological prejudices, the journal provides a
fascinating window into Afghan views of sweeping changes in the region
and wider global power structures during the 1990s.
Exile Publications
1991-2001
Scope and Contents note
Throughout the Soviet occupation and the Taliban era, various Afghan
political and social welfare groups based their operations in Peshawar,
Pakistan. From Zahir Shah-loyalists to women's aid organizations, a number
of them published magazines and newspapers for Afghan refugees, as well as
their countrymen at home.
وفا (Wafa, Loyalty), Kabul,
Afghanistan, عقرب 1370 (Aqrab) 16 - جدی 1372 (Jadi) 10
(1991 November 7 - 1993
December 31)
Scope and Contents note
Year 1, no. 1 through Year 2, no. 79 [Alternate English title:
WAFA (Loyalty) Fortnightly Paper.]
Approximately 75 issues, circa 4-30 pages each, of the Zahir
Shah-loyalist newspaper, published in Dari and Pushto by Afghan exiles
in Pakistan (edited by Prof. A. Rasul Amin, Amin Panjshiri, Mirza M.
Kunari, and Pir M. Karwan), including articles on the continuing Jihad
in post-Soviet Afghanistan, Pakistan's support for the Mujaheddin,
Afghan nationalism and national identity, the return of refugees after
the defeat of Najibullah, the reconstruction of free mass media, and the
future of the region in general, illustrated throughout with
reproductions of photographs and a few political cartoons. Published in
Peshawar, Pakistan (Writers Union of Free Afghanistan) from 1991-1993
(1370-1372).
کوثر (Kausar, Abundance), قوس 1370
(Qaus) 23 - جوزا 1371 (Jauza) 28
(1991 December 14 - 1992 June
18)
Scope and Contents note
Year 3, no. 166 through Year 3, no. 216 (unbroken run, partial year).
[Alternative title:
Kawsar.] 51 issues,
circa 8 pages each, comprising a substantial run of Al Haj Mohammad Amin
Frotan's semi-weekly Dari-language Zahir Shah-loyalist newspaper, with
coverage of world events from the Nashiratii Azad lslami Afghanistan
(Free Islamic Party of Afghanistan) party's perspective, including the
war in Bosnia, the fall of Soviet socialism, the first Gulf war, Boris
Yeltsin, Salman Rushdie, and the Palestinian uprising, illustrated
throughout with reproductions of photographs and satirical political
cartoons. Published in Peshawar, Pakistan (Urgan Nashiratii Azad lslami
Afghanistan) from 1991-1992 (1370-1371).
ایمان (Eiman, Faith), سرطان 1372
(Saratan) 9 - جدی 1377 (Jadi) 10
(1993 June 30 - 1998 December
31)
Scope and Contents note
Year 1, no. 3 through Year 5, no. 1 (all published). 11 issues in 10
fascicules, circa 50-60 pages each, of the Pushto-Dari educational
magazine of the Al-Dawa Islamic Cultural Center, edited by Nuhzat
Farahi, Mohibullah Wahdati, and Zabihullah Sharifi, including numerous
articles about proper religious education for the young, as well as
strongly worded anti-Semitic content, illustrated throughout with
reproductions of historical and contemporary photographs. Published in
Peshawar, Pakistan (Markaz Da'wat wa Saqafat) from 1993-1997
(1372-1376).
This serial is notable for its coverage of religious educational training
at madrassas in Pakistan during the years of the Afghan civil war in
Afghanistan.
افغانستان (Afghanistan), ثور 1373
(Hamal) 10 - سنبله 1380 (Sonbola) 9
(1994 April 30 - 2001 August
31)
Scope and Contents note
Year 1, no. 1 through Year 8, no. 25 (all published). Complete run in 25
issues, circa 68-90 pages each, of the Dari and Pushto-language
publication of the Afghan Information Center, edited by Sayed Naim
Majrooh and Zarghoon Shah Shinwari, funded by Freedom House in New York
to provide independent journalistic news and information about
Afghanistan, covering history, culture, and current events, including
the refugee crisis in Pakistan during the civil war and the time of the
Taliban, including pro-Zahir Shah articles and features, largely
lslamist, but moderate in tone, illustrated throughout with
reproductions of historical and modern photographs. Published in
Peshawar, Pakistan (Afghan lnformation Center) from 1994-2001
(1373-1380).
The editor's father, Syed Bahauddin Majrooh, a founder of the Afghan
lnformation Center and publisher of its respected
News Bulletin, was executed in 1988 at his home in exile in
Peshawar, possibly by allies of Hekmatyar, for writing articles critical
of Mujaheddin corruption. The present serial tended toward a royalist or
perhaps Pashtun nationalist tone, in one article going so far as to
suggest that the Taliban consider supporting the return of Zahir Shah,
given his descent from the Durrani line of Pashtun kings.
خواهران (Khaharan, Sisters), جدی
1375 (Jadi) 11 - حوت 1377 (Hut) 9
(1996 December 31 - 1999
February 28)
Scope and Contents note
Vol. 1, no. 1 through Vol. 2, no. 12 (near complete, lacks vol. 1, no.
7). [Alternate English title:
Sisters - Women's
Journal.
] 12 issues of the magazine published in Dari and
Pushto by Homa Zaafer, Sajeda Milad, and Belqis Baluch on behalf of the
A.O.R.O.W. (Afghan Organization for Relief of Orphans and Widows), with
articles concerning the importance of hijab in Islamic societies, poems,
the personal stories of women in Afghanistan and around the world, role
models, literacy, and refugee life in Peshawar, including articles and
interviews with Nancy Hatch Dupree. Illustrated throughout with
reproductions of modern and historical photographs and cartoons.
Published in Kabul, Afghanistan and Peshawar, Pakistan (A. O. R.O. W.)
from 1996-1999 (1375-1377).
This serial devoted significant coverage to Afghan women's history, from
the promotion of equal rights and education rights under Amir Amanullah
Khan through women's lives during the civil war of the 1990s.
Mujaheddin-era Publications
1984-2001
Scope and Contents note
Islamists in Afghanistan began to resist PDPA social reforms long before the
Soviet invasion. But when Moscow sent troops to Kabul to prop up the failing
communist government in 1979, their resistance swiftly escalated into
full-scale insurgency. Well-funded, often foreign-backed jihadists hounded
Soviet forces throughout the country, leading Mikhail Gorbachev to order
their withdrawal in 1989. Various Mujaheddin factions continued the struggle
against Mohammad Najibullah's tottering regime until it fell in 1992, when
they turned their weapons against one another. Throughout the conflict, many
of the parties (including Jamiat-i Islami, Hezb-e Islami, and others)
published newspapers and magazines to record their accomplishments and seek
greater legitimacy. Foreign governments, including Iran, contributed
pro-Mujaheddin literature, as did pan-Arab Islamist organizations, which
published their own magazines to encourage jihad and solicit donations at
home and abroad.
حبلو الله (Hablu Allah, Rope of
Allah)
, اسد 1363 (Asad) 30 - ثور 1369 (Saur) 10
(1984 August 21 - 1990 April
30)
Scope and Contents note
No. 2 through no. 68 (six year run, near complete, lacking 12 nos.: 1,
3-4, 8-10, 12, 28, 56). [Alternate title:
Habluallah.] 56 issues (with duplicate copies of nos. 13-27
bound in), circa 64-128 pages each, comprising a significant run of the
historical, religious, and political magazine published in Dari/Farsi by
the government of Iran to support global Jihad and Islamic revolution,
with a primary focus on the Mujaheddin effort to expel the Soviets from
Afghanistan, each issue including Khomeni's thoughts on world matters of
importance to Muslims (and examples of his poetry), as well as topical
articles on leading jihadists, with detailed histories of the Shia
groups who travelled from Iran to fight in Afghanistan, etc.,
illustrated throughout with photographs of martyrs, historical figures,
religious leaders, and battle scenes. Published in Tehran, Iran (Seyyed
Jamal Husayni) from 1984-1990 (1363-1369).
Discontinued shortly after Khomeni's death, the serial provided broad
coverage of the Iranian perspective on Islamic jihad and regional
history, including the fatwa against Salman Rushdie, and the
continuation of global jihad after the Soviet defeat in Afghanistan.
الجهاد (Al-Jihad, The Jihad), ربيع
الثاني 1405 (Rabi' al-thani) 8 - المحرّم 1416 (Muharram) 2
(1984 December 31 - 1995 May
31)
Scope and Contents note
Vol. 1, no. 1 (Jadi 1363) through no. 12 (Mizan 1364); and Vol. 4, no. 61
(Aqrab 1368) through Vol. 10, no. 120 (Saur 1374) (lacking nos. 13-60,
else complete). 72 issues, comprising the head of series and significant
run of later issues of the Arabic-language magazine for foreign fighters
in Afghanistan and their supporters at home, founded by radical cleric
Al-Shaikh Mullah Azzam Abdullah, who, prior to his assassination in
1989, exerted a significant influence on Osama Bin Laden and aided in
the development of Al Qaeda (after his death, the serial was continued
by Mohammad Yousaf Abbas), focusing first on the military struggle in
Afghanistan and later on opportunities for global Jihad throughout the
Arab world and beyond; some issues include anti-Jewish and anti-American
material. Illustrated throughout with photographs of martyrs and
jihadists, weapons, and training facilities. Published in Peshawar,
Pakistan (Dar-ul Jihad) from 1984-1995 (1363-1374).
Al-Jihad, particularly in later issues,
provides a chilling view of the strain of Islamic extremism which has
inspired Al Qaeda and the larger project of global Jihad.
میثاق خون
(Mithaq-e Khun, A Promise of
Blood)
, حمل 1365 (Hamal) 11 - حوت 1370 (Hut) 10
(1986 March 31 - 1992
February 29)
Scope and Contents note
Vol. 2 [i.e., series 2] Year 1, no. 1 (also called no. 19) through Year
6, no. 12 (also called no. 90) (near complete; second series lacking
only nos. 28-30). 53 issues, circa 80 pages each, comprising a near
complete run of the second series of the Dari and Pushto monthly
magazine from Jamiat-i Islami, edited by F. Fazil, Emad-u-din "Waseeq,"
and Naseer-u-din "Jamal," including extensive coverage of the Mujaheddin
group's military and political activities of the time, alongside a
special series promoting the writings of Egyptian Islamists Imam Hasan
Albana and Sayyid Qutb (the latter of whom was virulently
anti-American), as well as prominent coverage of the deaths of Jamiat
commander Zabiullah and Pakistani General Zia-ul-Haq, illustrated
throughout with startling battlefield photography and other imagery.
Published in Peshawar, Pakistan (Organ-i Nasharati Komita Farhangi
Jamiat-i-Islami Afghanistan) from 1986-1992 (1365-1370).
The publication was probably disbanded when the members of Jamiat-i
Islami returned to Kabul in 1992 after the death of Najibullah in the
attempt to form a Mujaheddin government. The serial provides an
extraordinary inside view of the Jamiat organization's priorities,
displaying a deep seated anti-Western viewpoint at the same time they
received weapons and financing from Washington and courted favorable
American and European media coverage.
المجاهد (Al-Mujahid, The Mujahid),
جمادى الثانية 1408 (Jumada al-thani) 12 - جمادى الأولى 1411 (Jumada
al-awwal) 13
(1988 January 31 - 1990
November 30)
Scope and Contents note
No. 1 (Jadi 1368) through no. 24 (Qaus 1369) (all published). 24 issues,
circa 50-65 pages each, of the Arabic-language monthly magazine of Jihad
in Afghanistan published by Mujalat-u-lslamia-tu-Shahriayat-o-Jam'a,
edited by Jamil ur-Rehman and Al-Walid Bin Mohammad, including articles
describing actions against the Soviets by Mujaheddin forces in Kunar,
Jalalabad, and elsewhere, alongside articles on battlefield medicine and
military tactics, Islamic education, and abuses of Muslims within the
Islamic territories of the Soviet Union, illustrated throughout with
photographs of the battle sites, etc. Published in Peshawar, Pakistan
(Jama-at-u-Dawa Elal-Qur'an wa-Sunnah) from 1988-1990 (1368-1369).
The periodical chronicles the activities of Arab jihadist groups that
went on to become members of Al Qaeda, among them the Bin Laden
organization.
ارشاد (Irshad, Guidance), حوت 1367
(Hut) 9 - قوس 1369 (Qaus) 9
(1989 February 28 - 1990
November 30)
Scope and Contents note
Year 1, no. 1 through Year 2, no. 10 (all published?). Ten issues, circa
95-158 pages each, comprising what an expert source says is a complete
run of the proto-governmental Mujaheddin publication in Pushto and Dari,
edited by Shah Agha Mojaddedi, including articles on the political goals
of the insurgency after the withdrawal of the Soviets, and plans for an
allied Mujaheddin government in Kabul to replace Najibullah, illustrated
throughout with reproductions of historical and contemporary photographs
of fighters and warlords, including Sibghatullah Mojaddedi, Adbul Rab
Saiyaf, Ahmad Shah Masood, Burhanudin Rabbani, and others. Published in
Peshawar, Pakistan (Wizarat Dawat-o lrshad) in 1990 (1368-1369).
Contains a fascinating look at the doomed attempt to form a Mujaheddin
government in exile after the Soviet withdrawal and prior to the fall of
Najibullah.
دعوت (Da'wat, Invitation), ذو القعدة
1411 (Dhu al-Qi'dah) 18 - صفر 1416 (Safar) 2
(1991 May 31 - 1995 June
30)
Scope and Contents note
No. 13 (Jauza 1370) through no. 40 (Saratan 1374) (incomplete). 28
consecutive issues in 22 fascicules, circa 48-80 pages each, of
Al-Shaikh Jamil ur-Rehman's Jamiat-u Da'wat monthly magazine (largely in
Pushto with some Dari), edited by Al-Shaikh Samiullah, covering military
and political advances of the Jamiat-u Da'wat fighters in the region of
Kunar during the civil war, including reproductions of numerous signed
agreements between Rehman's party and Hekmatyar's Hezb-e Islami party,
documenting their shared control of Kunar and Nangarhar, as well as
extensive articles detailing the group's religious beliefs, including
the limits of women's rights under Islam, and later, a detailed account
of Jamil ur-Rehman's murder by a rival Arab fighter at his home in
Barbur, sparsely illustrated in keeping with the party's extremist
beliefs. Published in Peshawar, Pakistan (De Afghanistan Jamiat-Da'wat
Elal Qur'an wa Sunnah) from 1991-1995 (1370-1374).
شهادت (Shahadat, Martyrdom), حمل
1371 (Hamal) 2 - عقرب 1371 (Aqrab) 7
(1992 March 22 - 1992 October
29)
Scope and Contents note
No. 1 through no. 99 (single year). 157 issues (numbering irregular) of
the Pushto-Dari daily newspaper, which at the time served as the
official organ of Gulbuddin Hekmatyar's faction of the Mujaheddin,
covering a pivotal year in the post-Soviet power struggle from the time
of Najibullah's fall through the transitional government of Sibghatullah
Mojaddedi, with articles accusing Ahmad Shah Masood of collaboration
with the Russians and allied Afghan groups, illustrated throughout with
reproductions of photographs and satirical cartoons. Published in
Peshawar, Pakistan (Urgan-i-Markazi, Hezb-e Islami Afghanistan) from
1992-1993 (1371).
سیمای وحدت (Sima-ye Wahdat, Portrait of
Unity)
, حوت 1375 (Hut) 6 - اسد 1377 (Asad) 8
(1997 February 24 - 1998 July
30)
Scope and Contents note
Year 1, no. 2 through Year 2, no. 58 (near complete, lacking first
issue). 57 issues (with no. 48 provided in duplicate), circa 4-6 pages
each, of Mohammad Akbari's Pasdaran faction Hizb-e Wahdat Dari-language
newspaper, largely addressing an Hazara audience, including regular
features on women's rights under the rule of Islam. Published in
Peshawar, Pakistan (Urgan-i Nasharati Hezb-i Wahdat lslami Afghanistan -
Pakistan Branch) from 1997-1998 (1375-1377).
This serial is considerably more moderate than the Taliban hard-line
position, although Akbari joined the Taliban in September 1998 following
conflicts with rival Hazara leader Abdul Ali Mazari.
مستقبال (Mustaqbal, Future), جوزا
1378 (Jausa) 10 - جدی 1380 (Jadi) 10
(1999 May 31 - 2001 December
31)
Scope and Contents note
Year 1, no. 1 through Year 3, nos. 6-7 (all published). 19 issues, circa
65-125 pages each, comprising a complete run of Jamiat-i Islami's
social, cultural, and political magazine discussing the future of
Afghanistan, published in Dari and Pushto from exile in Peshawar by
Nasir Ahmad Nawidi and Mohammad Aajan Haqpal under the supervision of
Sifatullah Qanet during the time of the Taliban takeover, presenting a
more moderate vision of Islamic governance, including articles on the
unity of science and religion, profiles of historical figures, and
anti-PDPA texts, illustrated throughout with reproductions of
contemporary and historical photographs. Published in Peshawar, Pakistan
from 1999-2001 (1378-1380).
This serial provides a look at the political and cultural vision of Ahmad
Shah Masood's Jamiat-i lslami party in the last years of his life, up
until his murder by the Taliban, the events of 9/11, and subsequent U.S.
invasion.
Taliban-era Publications
1995-2001
Scope and Contents note
Arising in response to the brutality and lawlessness of the Afghan civil war,
the Taliban consolidated forces under the leadership of Mullah Omar in
Kandahar circa 1994. Extolling strict adherence to the Koran as the key to
social order, the group successfully fought the remaining Mujaheddin
factions for control of the country in 1996. Until they were toppled by
American forces in December 2001, the Taliban regularly issued newspapers
and magazines that chronicled their military and political ascent, promoted
Islamic virtue, and reinforced Sharia law.
طلوع افغان (Tolu'-e Afghan, Dawn of
Afghanistan)
, حمل 1374 (Hamal) 1 - میزان 1380 (Mizan)
14
(1995 March 21 - 2001 October
6)
Scope and Contents note
Year 1374, no. 1 (also called issue 10) through year 1380, no. 390 (near
complete run of issues published under the Taliban, lacking
approximately 23 numbers). [Alternate title:
Tolo-e-Afghan.] Approximately 415 issues, circa 4 pages
each, of the semi-weekly (note: while the subtitle describes it as a
daily, publication dates reflect a less frequent delivery schedule;
numbering erratic) Pushto and Dari newspaper, edited by Maulavi Ahmad
Jan Ahmadi and published by the Taliban's Ministry of Information and
Culture in Khandahar, largely broadcasting the group's Islamist
principles, with statements attributed to Mullah Omar concerning the
role of women in Islamic societies, governance by Islamic teachers and
intellectuals, warnings to rival warlords and Islamist groups, etc.,
alongside some coverage of national and international affairs, as well
as poetry and other cultural writings. Chiefly text. Published in
Kandahar, Afghanistan (Da Etla'ato Aw Kultur Riyasat) from 1995-2001
(1374-1380).
The serial presents the Taliban's political and social self-presentation
from the time of their military ascendance through the post-9/11 period.
Includes articles about the Clinton-era attacks on Tora Bora and the
Taliban's protection of Osama Bin Laden.
شریعت (Shari'at, Sharia), Kandahar,
Afghanistan, قوس 1374 (Qaus) 27 - قوس 1379 (Qaus) 29
(1995 December 18 - 2000
December 19)
Scope and Contents note
Year 1, no. 1 through Year 5, no. 93 (inconsistently numbered, some
issues bound out of sequence). [Alternate title in English from year
two:
Shariat Weekly.] 384 issues,
comprising a near complete collection (lacking only year 1, no. 3) of
the official weekly (later semi-weekly) newspaper of the Taliban
movement, largely in Pushto with some Dari, edited by Maulavi Ahmad Jan
Ahmadi, Mullah Asadullah Hanifi, Maulavi Abdul Rahman Ahmad Hotaki, and
others, covering Afghan and Islamic history and governance, Afghan and
international news, and official decrees, alongside extensive
anti-Rabbani, anti-communist, and anti-Western writings, sparsely
illustrated in accordance with strict Sharia law prohibiting graven
images. Occasional special issues in color ink. Published in Kabul,
Afghanistan and Peshawar, Pakistan (Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan) from
1995-2000 (1374-1379).
Established prior to the group's control of the Afghan government under
Mullah Omar (who was declared Amir-ul-Mumineen, or Supreme Caliph of
Islam, in April 1996),
Shari'at charts the
rise of the Taliban from its earliest influence through the apex of its
rule. Specific topics include the corruption of the Rabbani government,
reports linking Iran with Ahmad Shah Masood and the Northern Alliance,
condemnations of Israel, Osama Bin Laden's alliance with the Taliban and
international efforts to prosecute him, limits to the opium trade, India
and Pakistan, Chechnaya, and the Clinton sex scandal.
خلافت (Khilafat, Caliphate), Kabul,
Afghanistan, جوزا 1375 (Jauza) 11 - دلو 1379 (Asad) 12
(1996 May 31 - 2001 January
31)
Scope and Contents note
Year 1, no. 1 through Year 5, no. 21 (all published). 26 issues in 18
fascicules, circa 64-86 pages each, comprising what an expert source
says is a complete run of the monthly Dari-Pushto magazine of the
Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan under the Taliban, edited by Maulavi
Faqir Mohammad Khanjari (founded by Tarik Islami Taliban Afghanistan
under the supervision of Shuray-e Farhangi), including direct statements
by Mullah Omar, Koranic citations and teachings, articles on the proper
role of women in an Islamic society, and the differentiation of jihad
terrorism. Chiefly text. Published in Kandahar, Afghanistan (Islamic
Emirate of Afghanistan-Taliban) from 1996-2001 (1375-1380).
The articles included are reflective of the hard-line Kandahar branch of
the Taliban, where Mullah Omar resided during his governance of
Afghanistan.
اتفاق اسلام (Ittifaq-e Islam, Union of
Islam)
, ثور 1375 (Saur) 23 - 19 سنبله 1380 (Sonbola)
19
(1996 May 12 - 2001 September
10)
Scope and Contents note
Collation of erratically numbered issues (scattered numbers, largely
incomplete). Approximately 86 issues, circa 4 pages each, of the major
Dari and Pushto-language daily newspaper of Herat, edited by Ghulam
Hazrat "Jaheed" and Mohammad Qazi Zada and authorized by the Taliban's
Ministry of Information and Culture, showing some nuances and
differences with the more hard-line Taliban newspapers of Kabul from the
same period, but also emphasizing the rule of Islamic law and the
military and civil accomplishments of the Taliban. Chiefly text,
illustrated with sparse graphic flourishes and images of mosques.
Published in Herat, Afghanistan (Dawlati Matbaah-Riyasat-e Etla'at Wa
Kultur, Herat) from 1996-2001 (1375-1380).
هيواد (Hewad, Homeland), میزان 1375
(Mizan) 21 - میزان 1380 (Mizan) 12
(1996 October 12 - 2001
October 4)
Scope and Contents note
Issues incomplete. [Alternate English title:
Hewad
Daily.
] 262 issues, circa 4-8 pages each, of the semi-weekly
Taliban newspaper published in Pushto (with some Dari) by the Ministry
of Defense under the editorship of Abdul Hanan "Himmat," Abdul Hadi
"Rawan," Ilhaj Mullah Asadullah "Hanifi," and Mullah Mohammad lbrahim
"Nabil" during the occupation of Kabul, including direct statements from
Taliban commanders to the people of Afghanistan explaining the group's
policies and agendas, coverage of its struggle against the Northern
Alliance, statements and decrees by Amir-ul-Mumineen Mullah Muhammad
Omar Mujahid (Mullah Omar), as well as poetry, articles on Islamic
faith, and some local and international news. Published in Kabul,
Afghanistan (De Urdu de Matbe'a Chaap) from 1996-2001 (1375-1380).
The collection of issues documents the Taliban's self-presentation of its
military achievements and philosophy of Islamic jihad. Also contains
news coverage of the events of September 11, 2001 from the Taliban point
of view.
انیس (Anis, Companion), میزان 1375
(Mizan) 26 - میزان 1380 (Mizan) 14
(1996 October 17 - 2001
October 6)
Scope and Contents note
No. 18754 through no. 19345 (incomplete). [Alternate English title:
Anis Daily Newspaper.] Approximately 600
issues (lacking circa 180 issues from the stated date range; numbering
erratic) of the Dari and Pushto-language daily newspaper published by
the Afghan Ministry of lnformation and Culture (est. 1927), comprising
an incomplete though substantial run covering the five years of Taliban
governance in Afghanistan, from the group's capture of Kabul in 1996
through the U.S. bombardment and invasion in 2001, offering an
officially sanctioned view of daily life, culture, politics, current
events, international affairs, and religious propriety in the Islamic
Emirate of Afghanistan under the leadership of Mullah Omar. Some issues
illustrated with bold graphic art showing the military prowess of the
Taliban as a warning to foreign invaders. Published in Kabul,
Afghanistan (Dawlati Matbaah) from 1996-2001 (1375-1380).
Articles include direct statements from the Taliban leadership and former
Mujaheddin commanders from before and after the events of September 11,
2001, as well as a defiant statement from Osama Bin Laden concerning the
attacks.
سنگر (Sangar, Trench), جدی 1375
(Jadi) 3 - دلو 1377 (Dalw) 26
(1996 December 23 - 1999
February 15)
Scope and Contents note
Vol. 1, no. 1 through no. 60 (partial year, lacking 6 nos.: 6, 9, 14, 17,
28, 32; inconsistently numbered). 54 issues, circa 4 pages each, of the
militant newspaper published in Dari and Pushto by the Defense Ministry
of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan under the Taliban (edited by
Maulavi Hamdullah Hamid) in support of the policies of Mullah Omar,
covering the war efforts against the Northern Alliance and other topics
related to religion and warfare. Published in Kabul, Afghanistan
(Nasharia-i Wizarat Defa-i Mili Emarat Islami Afghanistan) from
1996-1997 (1375-1377).
This series was launched immediately after the Taliban takeover of Kabul
and seemingly discontinued shortly thereafter.
The Islamic Emirate, ربيع الثاني
1421 (Rabi' al-thani) 29 - صفر 1422 (Safar) 7
(2000 July 31 - 2001 April
30)
Scope and Contents note
No. 1 through no. 7 (all published). Seven issues, circa 33-45 pages
each, comprising a complete run of the official English-language
publication of the lslamic Emirate of Afghanistan under Amir-ul-Mumineen
Mullah Muhammad Omar Mujahid (Mullah Omar), edited by Maulavi Ahmad Jan
Ahmadi, including translations of decrees and fatwas, broad and specific
refutations of Western media reports concerning the Taliban, statements
concerning the origins and objectives of the Islamic Emirate,
discussions of the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention
of Vice, interviews with Jalaluddin Haqqani and Osama Bin Laden, and
coverage of the Taliban's efforts to stop the trade of narcotics in
Afghanistan, etc., chiefly text. Published in Kandahar, Afghanistan
(Information Centre of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan) from
2000-2001.
As the official English-language organ of the Taliban, it reflects the
hard-line anti-Western views of its publishers in the months directly
prior to the events of September 11, 2001 and the American invasion.
Karzai-era Publications
2002-2009
Scope and Contents note
After the events of September 11, 2001, American-led coalition forces invaded
Afghanistan and deposed the Taliban, making way for the presidency of Hamid
Karzai. In the decade since his initial appointment, the government has
progressively restored civil rights that were restricted under the Taliban,
including freedom of the press. In addition to pro-government newspapers and
magazines, a variety of critical voices can be found among the emerging
print media outlets of the Karzai era.
پلوشه (Palwashah, Clarity), عقرب
1381 (Aqrab) 20 - حوت 1385 (Hut) 20
(November 11, 2002-March 11,
2007)
Scope and Contents note
Vol. 3, no. 1 through Vol. 3, year 4, no. 79 (complete run of stated date
range; numbering erratic). 75 issues of the semi-monthly Pashtun
nationalist magazine published in Dari and Pushto under the editorship
of Dr. Akmal Ghilgi Skwandi, including articles on the social and
political situation in Afghanistan during the early Karzai period,
moderately Islamist and pro-Sardar Daoud Khan in tendency, but
anti-communist. Published in Kabul, Afghanistan (Matba'a Ghazali) from
2002-2007 (1381-1385).
ویسا (Weesa, Trust), ثور 1385 (Saur)
5 - حمل 1389 (Hamal) 30
(2006 April 25 - 2010 April
19)
Scope and Contents note
Year 1, no. 1 through Year 4, no. 1186 (complete head of series through
fourth year of publication). [Alternate title in Library of Congress
listings:
Visa.] Approximately 1180 issues,
circa 4 pages each, comprising an unbroken head-of-series run (slight
numbering irregularities and minor date gaps throughout, which an expert
source says is consistent with the serial's publishing history) of one
of the major Karzai-era newspapers, published daily (except Thursdays
and Fridays) in Dari and Pushto under the pro-coalition editorship of
Mohib Bizar, including reports on the armed struggle against the Taliban
(as well as early indications of peace negotiations), national and
international politics and current affairs, entertainment, sports,
development, and foreign aid. Published in Kabul, Afghanistan (Mohib
Bizar) from 2006-2010 (1385-1389).
Later issues, as security in Kabul deteriorated, show public service
announcements for the prevention of suicide attacks, as well as a
proliferation of advertisements for internet and cell phone
companies.
اسلام غږ (Islam Ghagh, Voice of
Islam)
, سرطان 1387 (Saratan) 10 - سرطان 1388 (Saratan)
29
(2008 June 30 - 2009 July
20)
Scope and Contents note
No. 1 through no. 4 (all published). [Alternate English title:
Voice of Islam Monthly Publication.] Four
issues, circa 48 pages each, comprising a complete run of the political,
cultural, and social monthly magazine published mainly in Pushto (and
some Dari) by Mishr Maulavi Sayeb Saeedullah Saeed under the editorship
of Habib Shah Ansari and Sada Haider Kheil, with articles concerning the
unchanging nature of Islam even under chaotic political and national
events, the difficulties of life in Kabul under the Russians and
Americans, statements against the Taliban massacres and suicide attacks,
calls to end ethnic divisions and unite the nation, condemnations of
civilian casualties by occupation forces, etc., illustrated throughout
with reproductions of photographs and desktop publishing clipart.
Published in Kabul and Khost, Afghanistan (De Mujahideno Mili Yawali
lslami Tahrik Mishr, Maulavi Saeedullah Saeed) from 2008-2009
(1387-1388).
This serial provides a perspective from Khost province on topics of
national and international concern, as well as household matters, from
the evils of drugs and alcohol to childhood education, and the
importance of hijab for Afghan women.
Other Materials
1991, 2011
تقویم (Taqvim, Calendar), Kabul,
Afghanistan, in Dari, number of issues: 1
1991
سراج التواریخ (Siraj al-Tavarikh, Lamp of
Chronicles: The History of Afghanistan)
, کابل : متبعه حروفى
دار السلطنه،, Kabul, Afghanistan, in Dari and Pushto, number of issues:
1
2011
