From Kabul to Kashmir: How Amrullah Saleh, The Panjshir Hero With 'Nine Lives', Is Taking On Pakistan
Saleh's fierce opposition to the Taliban and Pakistan's interference in Afghanistan has made him a key figure in the region's complex geopolitics
Amrullah Saleh, the former vice-president of Afghanistan, has been one of the strongest voices in India's support since Pakistan-backed terrorists killed 26 Indian tourists in J&K's Pahalgam on April 22. His backing of India following Operation Sindoor aligns with his longstanding views — he has been a steadfast critic of the Taliban, which overran and took control of Afghanistan in 2021, and Pakistan's meddling in Afghan affairs, including Islamabad's support to the Taliban.
Saleh's long-stated advocacy for India's role in countering terrorism and his criticism of Pakistan's policies provide a broader geopolitical context to the current situation.
Who Is Amrullah Saleh?
Saleh, who has served as Afghanistan's spy chief and interior minister, became the country's first vice-president in 2020, under president Ashraf Ghani. His tenure, however, was short-lived as the Taliban seized rapid and decisive control of Afghanistan by force on August 15, 2021, following the withdrawal of US troops.
While president Ghani was forced to flee the country, Saleh stayed back and relocated to the Panjshir Valley, a historical bastion of anti-Taliban resistance. He declared himself the 'caretaker president' citing the Afghan constitution and formed the National Resistance Front (NRF) with Ahmad Massoud to oppose Taliban rule. His claim to presidency, however, lacks global recognition.
Despite the resistance, the Taliban captured Panjshir in early September 2021. As per reports, Saleh had to flee to Tajikistan (he is an ethnic Tajik), but continues to support the NRF in exile.
Throughout his career as a spy chief and a politician, Saleh has survived so many assassination attempts that in global circles he is known as having 'nine lives".
Amrullah Saleh remains a crucial figure in the Indian subcontinent's geopolitics due to his unwavering opposition to the Taliban and his consistent criticism of Pakistan's involvement in fostering cross-border terrorism.
As a former Afghan intelligence chief and vice president, Saleh has deep insight into regional security dynamics, militancy, and political influence. His close ties with India, rooted in years of strategic cooperation during the anti-Taliban resistance, position him as a natural ally to New Delhi in its regional security calculus.
In exile, his voice continues to resonate in international circles advocating for democratic resilience in Afghanistan and pushing back against Pakistan's military-intelligence complex.
With the intensifying India-Pakistan rivalry, Saleh's support for India following Operation Sindoor reinforces his role as a symbolic yet strategically significant player in South Asia's evolving geopolitical landscape. His background and leadership in the anti-Taliban resistance have made him a key figure in the ongoing power struggle within Afghanistan, a nation strategically vital to both India and Pakistan.
Saleh's views and actions have the potential to influence regional stability, particularly regarding cross-border terrorism, the Afghan refugee crisis, and the broader dynamics between India, Pakistan, and Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
Saleh's Opposition To Pakistan
Saleh has consistently accused Pakistan, particularly its Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), of supporting the Taliban and destabilizing Afghanistan. He has stated that Pakistan seeks to exert control over Afghanistan through its proxy, the Taliban. In a 2010 briefing to then US president Barack Obama, Saleh had emphasised that 'the Pakistanis believe the West has lost" in Afghanistan and are exploiting divisions among Western allies.
He has also criticized Pakistan's role in harbouring terrorist leaders, including Osama bin Laden, and has urged the international community to hold Pakistan accountable for its actions in the region.
Given his staunch opposition to Pakistan, Saleh's support for India in the context of Operation Sindoor aligns with his historical stance. His backing bolsters India's position in the region and highlights the shared concerns of both nations regarding terrorism and regional stability.
Saleh's Support For India
Saleh was among the first regional leaders to condemn the Pahalgam terror attack and link it to Pakistan. 'It appears that the neighboring GHQ, seeking publicity and media attention, resorted to the worst way to get it," he had said on April 23, the day after the attack.
— Amrullah Saleh (@AmrullahSaleh2) April 23, 2025
In the days that followed, Saleh called out Pakistan's long-standing support to terrorism in the region, also highlighting its defence minister Khawaja Asif's admission of the same before global media.
"We were contractors for dirty jobs," says Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Minister of Defense of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.My question: Has the contract been extended with a new customer, or have you renewed it with the previous one? We see no clear evidence of its termination. https://t.co/HY5xW7TqVF
— Amrullah Saleh (@AmrullahSaleh2) April 26, 2025
In a pointed comparison between India's Operation Sindoor and Pakistan's Operation Bunyan Ul Marsoos, Saleh highlighted several strategic firsts in India's approach. He said India has showed newfound confidence and sovereignty, 'bypassing" the UN Security Council, treating terrorist actors and their state sponsors—particularly within Pakistan—as a single entity.
He also pointed out that Pakistan had to seen IMF assistance amid the tensions, underscoring its inability to sustain prolonged conflict.
Operation Sindoor vs. Operation Bunyan Ul MarsoosSome of the firsts
One : Realizing the stalemated status or irrelevance of the UNSC, India didn't seek to request sympathy from the five of the 1945. Operation Sindoor clearly demonstrated a strong sense of self-confidence and…
— Amrullah Saleh (@AmrullahSaleh2) May 10, 2025
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In his latest post, Saleh said the April 22 attack tested India's restraint, provoking a robust response that shattered the illusion of Pakistan's military invulnerability, including strikes near Rawalpindi. He added that India's religious scholars issued their own fatwa, breaking Pakistan's monopoly on Islamic religious narratives.
In contrast, Operation Bunyan Ul Marsoos, Saleh said, appeared largely performative, with no visible impact, and the ceasefire seemed to prevent further escalation on Pakistan's side.
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tags :
Afghanistan Amrullah Saleh ISI Operation Sindoor pakistan Taliban
Location :
New Delhi, India, India
First Published:
May 15, 2025, 11:03 IST
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