The temporary seizure of the administrative center of Yaftal-e Payin district in Afghanistan’s Badakhshan province early on Friday (18 July) thrust Abdul Qayum Malang and the newly established Homeland Soldiers Front into the national spotlight.
Prior to the operation, neither Abdul Qayum Malang nor the Homeland Soldiers Front, which he leads, was widely known in the media. However, after the group briefly took control of the district center and raised its flag, both Malang and the front gained significant attention across Afghan media and social media platforms.
According to published reports, Abdul Qayum Malang, also known as Qayum Khan, is a native of Sukhta-Koh Bala village in Yaftal-e Payin district of Badakhshan province. Abdul Momin Zia Badakhsh, who describes himself as a close acquaintance of Malang, said that his friends gave him the nickname “Malang,” while his passion for hunting occasionally earned him the nickname “Shikarchi” (“the Hunter”).
According to the same source, Malang completed his education through the 12th grade before joining the armed forces of Afghanistan’s former republican government. He is said to have undergone short-term military training before participating in a number of military operations.
Reports indicate that during the former republic, Malang worked alongside U.S. Special Forces, including Delta Force, in operations against the Taliban and reportedly commanded an operational team. He is also said to have served as a member of the former Afghan National Army’s Special Operations Forces.
Following the collapse of the republic and the Taliban’s return to power, Malang moved to Panjshir and joined the National Resistance Front (NRF) led by Ahmad Massoud. Some reports claim that in 2022 he participated in an operation that brought down a Taliban helicopter in the Dara-e Arzoo area of Panjshir. However, these claims have not been independently verified.
Several photographs, two videos, and an audio recording attributed to Abdul Qayum Malang have since circulated on social media. One photograph shows him wearing the uniform of the former Afghan National Army, while another depicts him standing alongside Khalid Amiri, a commander of the National Resistance Front.
One of the videos attributed to Malang appears to show the downing of a Taliban helicopter. Another shows a man said to be Malang explaining the plan for a military operation to his fighters. An audio recording also attributed to him outlines his reasons for continuing the armed struggle against the Taliban, although the authenticity of the recording has not been independently verified.
Before the Yaftal-e Payin operation, the Homeland Soldiers Front had virtually no public profile in either the media or on social media and maintained no official online presence. Following the brief capture of the district center and the circulation of the group’s flag, however, numerous social media accounts bearing the group’s name emerged and claimed responsibility for the operation.
According to Abdul Momin Zia Badakhsh, Malang parted ways with the National Resistance Front after disagreements with its leadership and subsequently returned to Badakhshan. He said that Malang worked as a laborer for a period due to financial difficulties while simultaneously continuing efforts to establish an independent armed group.
The source further stated that before the Yaftal-e Payin operation, Malang had organized a small armed unit and had repeatedly warned local Taliban officials, particularly the district governor of Yaftal-e Payin.
He also said that Malang has a keen interest in reading and chose the name Homeland Soldiers in consultation with his associates. The group’s flag features lapis blue and white colors and bears the symbols of the sun and the wings of the Simurgh, a mythical Persian bird. Its slogan, “Freedom, Justice, Homeland,” which has been promoted by social media accounts affiliated with the group, has attracted considerable attention online in recent days.
According to a BBC report, Abdul Qayum Malang personally took part in the operation to seize the district center of Yaftal-e Payin. However, many of the claims regarding his background, activities, and the Homeland Soldiers Front remain independently unverified. Much of the available information is based on media reports and statements from individuals who claim to know him personally.
Writer:Saeed Sameer
