1 background
1.1 adolat (1991–1992)
1.2 tajik civil war (1992–1997)
1.3 imu formation (1998)
background
during soviet era, islam in central asia officially suppressed – mosques closed, , contact wider muslim world severed. isolation ended soviet–afghan war (1979–1989), when thousands of conscripts soviet central asia sent fight afghan mujahedin. many of these conscripts returned home impressed islamic zeal of opponents, , newly aware of religious, cultural , linguistic characteristics shared neighbours in south – , distinguished them rulers in moscow.
adolat (1991–1992)
one such soldier sent fight in afghanistan uzbek paratrooper jumaboi khojayev (b. 1969). following war, khojayev returned hometown of namangan in uzbekistan s fergana valley radicalized experiences, , became associated local islamic ideologue, tohir yuldashev (b. 1967). in period of initial instability followed uzbekistan s sudden independence in 1991, yuldeshev , khojayev (now adopting nom de guerre juma namangani) established radical salafi islamist group in namangan called adolat (justice).
adolat assumed civil authority in namangan , established degree of order , security through imposition of sharia law, ruthlessly enforced adolat s vigilante cadres. tolerated newly installed president karimov, adolat became increasingly assertive, culminating in demand karimov impose sharia throughout uzbekistan. however, 1992 karimov had cemented authority in tashkent, , strong enough outlaw adolat , re-establish central control on fergana valley region – traditionally 1 of islamic regions in central asia.
tajik civil war (1992–1997)
evading arrest, yuldashev , namagani fled tajikistan, civil war raging following bloody successful coup led emomali rahmonov earlier in 1992. civil war pitted rahmonov s neo-communist forces against loose coalition of democrats , islamists known united tajik opposition (uto). uto led popular , highly respected islamist said abdullah nuri, islamic renaissance party of tajikistan (irpt) advocated moderate , democratic brand of islamism.
namangani s combat experience in afghanistan saw him entrusted irpt command of active units in field, based out of remote, mountainous tavildara valley region – role carried out considerable success. meanwhile, yuldashev left tajikistan on tour of afghanistan, turkey , middle east, during time developed contacts numerous islamist groups. 1995 1998 yuldashev based in peshawar in pakistan, established relations osama bin laden , afghan arabs based there @ time.
imu formation (1998)
in 1997 rahmonov , nuri signed peace agreement saw rahmonov agree sharing power irpt. disillusioned political concessions made tajik islamists, yuldeshev , namangani formed imu in 1998 aim of creating militant islamic opposition karimov in uzbekistan. receiving initial funding , assistance pakistan s inter-services intelligence (isi) agency, imu began moving towards afghan taliban , away former , more moderate irpt allies – in turn partially backing ethnic-tajik ahmad shah massoud , northern alliance against taliban.
nevertheless, namangani maintained base in tajikistan s tavildara valley, , able recruit large numbers of disaffected youth fergana valley, economic hardship , religious persecution continuing under karimov s authoritarian rule.
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