Ismail Khan
Mohammad Ismail Khan (Dari/Pashto: محمد اسماعیل خان) (born 1946) is an Afghan former politician who served as Minister of Energy and Water from 2005 to 2013 and before that served as the governor of Herat Province. Originally a captain in the Afghan Army, he is widely known as a former warlord as he controlled a large mujahideen force, mainly his fellow Tajiks from western Afghanistan, during the Soviet–Afghan War.
Ismail Khan | |
|---|---|
Ismail Khan at the 2010 National Conference on Water Resources, Development and Management of Afghanistan | |
| Minister of Energy and Water | |
| In office 2004 – October 2013 | |
| President | Hamid Karzai |
| Succeeded by | Mohammad Arif Noorzai |
| Governor of Herat Province | |
| In office 2001 – 12 September 2004 | |
| President | Hamid Karzai |
| Preceded by | Mulla Yaar Mohammad |
| Succeeded by | Sayed Mohammad Khairkhah |
| In office 1992–1997 | |
| Succeeded by | Mullah Yaar Mohammad |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1946 (age 77–78) Shindand, Herat Province, Kingdom of Afghanistan |
| Political party | Jamiat-e-Islami |
| Occupation | Politician, former Mujahideen leader |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | Islamic National Army (1967‐79) |
| Years of service | 1967-2021 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Battles/wars |
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His reputation gained him the nickname Lion of Herat. Ismail Khan was a key member of the now exiled political party Jamiat-e Islami and of the now defunct United National Front party. In 2021, Ismail Khan returned to arms to help defend Herat from the Taliban's offensive, which he and the Afghan Army lost. He was then captured by the Taliban forces and then reportedly fled to Iran on 16 August 2021.