Bibi Ayesha

{{Short description|Afghan warlord}} {{Distinguish|Bibi Aisha}} {{Infobox person | name = Bibi Ayesha<br />{{nq|بی‌بی عایشه}} | image = | alt = | caption = | other_names = | birth_name = | birth_date = | birth_place = Nahrin District, Baghlan Province, Afghanistan | death_date = | death_place = | nationality = | occupation = Former Mujahideen leader | known_for = }} '''Bibi Ayesha''' ({{langx|prs|بی‌بی عایشه}}) is a former military leader who was the only known female warlord in Afghanistan. She controlled a force of 500-1000 men in the Nahrin district of Baghlan Province.<ref name="cog"/> Also known as '''Commander Kaftar''' ({{langx|prs|قوماندان کفتر}}, "The Hyena"), she operated for at least two decades, fighting against Soviet troops and then the Taliban militia as part of Jamiat-e Islami.<ref name="cog"/><ref name="qat"/> She continued to operate her militia during the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.<ref>{{Citation |title=Afghanistan's Female Warlord |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujXRLi-SczY |access-date=2024-03-13 |publisher=Radio Free Europe |language=en}}</ref>

== Early life == She was born in Nahrin district of Baghlan Province to a Tajik family.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Izarali |first1=M. Raymond |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NC0hEAAAQBAJ&dq=Bibi+ayesha+Tajik&pg=PT167 |title=Terrorism, Security and Development in South Asia: National, Regional and Global Implications |last2=Ahlawat |first2=Dalbir |date=2021-04-28 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-000-37662-3 |language=en}}</ref>

She dismissed notions that the roles of women in Afghanistan should exclude military roles, saying "It makes no difference if you are a man or a woman when you have the heart of a fighter."<ref name="cog"/> However, she does insist that a ''mahram'' male relative, accompany her into battle.<ref name="cog">Coghlan, Tom. BBC, [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4806516.stm Afghanistan's feared woman warlord], March 16, 2006</ref>

On 18 October 2020, Ayesha came under attack by the Taliban, a day after they claimed that she had defected to them. Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid claimed that the commander had defected to the group, but when media contacted her, she categorically rejected the reports over the telephone.<ref name="qat">{{Cite web|url=https://www.qatar-tribune.com/news-details/id/200244/afghanistan-s-only-female-warlord-attacked-by-taliban-fighters|title = Afghanistan's only female warlord attacked by Taliban fighters| date=18 October 2020 }}</ref>

== References == {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=3&id=16486|Bibi Ayesha: Afghanistan's Only Female Warlord] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929125139/http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=3&id=16486%7CBibi |date=29 September 2011 }}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ayesha, Bibi}} Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:Mujahideen members of the Soviet–Afghan War Category:Hazara military personnel Category:Afghan warlords Category:People from Baghlan Province Category:Women in 21st-century warfare Category:Women in war in Afghanistan