Islamic Dawah Organisation of Afghanistan

The Islamic Dawah Organisation of Afghanistan ( _fa. تنظیم دعوت اسلامی افغانستان, "Tanzim-e Dahwat-e Islami-ye Afghanistan") is a political party in Afghanistan led by Abdul Rasul Sayyaf. Founded in the late 1970s as the Islamic Union for the Liberation of Afghanistan ("Ittehad-e Islami bara-ye Azadi-ye Afghanistan"), it was originally an attempt to bring unity amongst Islamist opposition forces in Afghanistan. However, the creation of the new umbrella organization effectively created a split and the organization became a political party of its own. The organization was part of the 'Peshawar Seven', the coalition of mujahedin forces supported by the United States, Pakistan and various Arab states of the Persian Gulf in the war against the PDPA government and Soviet forces.http://www.kas.de/db_files/dokumente/7_dokument_dok_pdf_9674_2.pdf] Through the financial aid received from Saudi sources, the organization was able to attract a considerable military following. Arab volunteers fought in the militia forces of the organisation. [ [http://www.hrw.org/reports/1991/afghanistan/AFGHAN.htm AFGHAN ] ] [http://www.hrw.org/backgrounder/asia/afghan-bck1005.htm Press Backgrounder: Military Assistance to the Afghan Opposition
(Human Rights Watch Backgrounder, October 2001) ] ]

At the time directly following the ouster of the PDPA government, the organisation took part in the fractional infighting over the control over Kabul 1993-1994. On February 11, 1993 its forces took part in a series of massacres and rapes on members of the Hazara ethnic minority in west Kabul along with Jamiat Islami forces.

During the Taliban years, it formed part of the Northern Alliance.

In 2005, the organization was registered as political party with the Ministry of Justice under its new name. [ [http://www.afghan-web.com/politics/parties.html Afghanistan Online: Political parties and leaders in Afghanistan ] ]

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