Qari Baryal led an element of the Kabul Attack Network, which attacked Coalition and Afghan forces, as well as civilians, in an around Kabul. He is closely allied with Al Qaeda and has received financial support from Iran.
Mullah Mustafa, a Taliban commander who was targeted by the US military in an airstrike nearly a decade ago and who has links to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp – Qods Force, remains a key player in the insurgency in central Afghanistan. He was involved in the Taliban takeover of a district in Ghor.
Herat’s chief of police accused Iran of supporting the Taliban’s killing spree in the province, which included the murder of two Finnish aid workers.
Ten policemen and 34 Afghan civilians are reported to have been killed as the Taliban attempted to free prisoners being transported to a court for trial in Farah City.
Mullah Naim Barich, the Taliban’s leader for the southern Afghan province, was added “for the significant role he plays in international narcotics trafficking,” Treasury stated.
Aslanov Zaur, an Azeri national and al Qaeda commander, was killed during Pakistani airstrikes in Kurram last week. He likely entered Pakistan with the aid of al Qaeda’s support network in Iran.
Lieutenant General Qasem Soleimani has directed attacks in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as aided al Qaeda.