Qari Ziaur Rahman

Qari Ziaur Rahman is a citizen of Afghanistan who is reported to be a leader of the Taliban's leadership.cite news
url=http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/JE23Df02.html
title=A fighter and a financier
publisher=Asia Times
author=Syed Saleem Shahzad
date=May 23, 2008
accessdate=2008-05-22
quote= [http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.atimes.com%2Fatimes%2FSouth_Asia%2FJE23Df02.html&date=2008-05-22 mirror] ]

Early life

Qari Ziaur Rahman's father, Maulana Dilbar, was a religious scholar. Unlike some members of the Taliban's leadership, he can read and write.Qari Ziaur Rahman reports being from Konar Province. He reports that he memorized the entire Koran while a youth.

According to a profile in the "Asia Times" he grew up surrounded by Arab foreign fighters during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. According to the "Asia Times" he is in his thirties.

Militant career

"Asia Times" reports that Qari Ziaur Rahman leads the Taliban's efforts in Konar, and that the United States has offered $350,000 bounty for information leading to his death or capture. It reports that he rose to a leadership position on merit, not nepotism, while fighting against US forces.

Qari Ziaur Rahman was captured, in Pakistan. But he was not transferred to US custody. Instead he was part of a prisoner exchange.It was following his exchange that he was elevated to leadership over all of Konar.

References