Hasib Markaz
Afghan military commander (born 1992)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hasib Qoway Markaz Panjshiri[a] (born 28 January 1992) is an Afghan military commander who is one of the key commanders of the National Resistance Front (NRF). He is currently in charge of the Special Forces of the NRF in Panjshir province.
Hasib Markaz حسیب مرکز | |
|---|---|
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| Nickname | Knight of Panjshir |
| Born | 28 January 1992 |
| Allegiance | National Resistance Front |
| Service years | 2021–present |
| Unit | Special Force |
| Conflicts | |
Early life and background
Hasib Qoway Markaz Panjshiri was born on 28 January 1992 in Abdara, Panjshir province, to an ethnic Tajik family.[1] In 2014, after completing higher military education, he entered the special units of the (National Directorate of Security). Markaz left the NDS in 2018. Later in 2019, he broadcast a video tape and claimed that the NDS asked him to assassinate six of the country's elites,[2] but he refused.[3] After these statements, the National Security Directorate of Afghanistan issued a warrant for his arrest. In a statement, the Ministry of Interior accused Markaz of three murders and stated that he will be arrested soon.[4] On March 24, 2019, special forces of National Directorate of Security (NDS) and the Ministry of Interior of Afghanistan (MOA) went to Panjshir province to arrest him. After several hours of fighting, the Afghan Ministry of Interior announced that the operation to capture Markaz by the central forces had failed.
After the fall of Kabul on 15 August 2021, Markaz with the forces under his command, led by Ahmad Massoud, prepared for armed defense against the Taliban. With frequent Taliban attacks on Panjshir Valley and bloody conflicts in this province, he was able to inflict heavy casualties on the Taliban,[5] but due to the lack of ammunition, lack of sufficient forces and the breaking of the battle lines by Taliban infiltrators, Markaz with the forces under his command had to retreat.[6]
In 2022, during the chain of conflicts and intense attacks by the Taliban in the Panjshir Valley, Markaz managed to shoot down a fleet of Russian Mi-17 helicopters belonging to Taliban forces. He captured two Taliban pilots and one senior commander who were onboard the chopper.[7]
In 2025, Markaz and another NRF commander Khalid Amiri, appeared in photos, claiming presence in mountains of Afghanistan.[8][9] Later on, NRF military leader Qadam Shah Shahim confirmed NRF presence in Afghanistan.[10]