In brief
In an exclusive interview, Mullah Osman Jawhari reflects on the Battle of Want, revealing the complexities behind the Taliban's perspective and the narrative often overlooked by Western media.
The reclusive Taliban commander Mullah Osman Jawhari met me in a bustling guesthouse in the winter of 2022, shrouded in a heavy wool coat and dark sunglasses, as if he were ready to leave at any moment. The table before us was laden with a mountain of lamb and rice, untouched, while the sounds of a busy street permeated our surroundings. This was the first time I was face-to-face with a significant figure from the past – Jawhari led the now-infamous assault on an American base during the Battle of Want, one of the deadliest encounters for U.S. forces in Afghanistan, where nine soldiers lost their lives amidst intense fighting. The assault, conducted by 150 Taliban fighters, occurred a decade prior in the perilous foothills of the Hindu Kush, areas that had remained obscure to the outside world. Astonishingly, he had survived despite the precarious position of mid-level commanders during the war, a reality where many had been swiftly eliminated.As a former Afghanistan correspondent and Kabul bureau chief, my coverage often centered on one side of the conflict; the Taliban narrative remained largely shrouded in secrecy and propaganda. Now, years later, the fighting had ceased, prompting me to question the narratives that had been perpetuated throughout the war. I had digested countless after-action reports and analyzed the lessons that emerged from the Battle of Want, but I sensed an additional layer of complexity – a deeper understanding of how the end of the war unfolded in such a devastating manner for both the United States and many Afghans, particularly women.With a shared meal before us yet to be touched, I braced myself for a conversation that could shed light on the untold stories of a conflict that had deeply affected millions.
