Afghanistan Peace Campaign
Former U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad slammed Gulbuddin Hekmatyar’s violent legacy, labeling him the “Butcher of Kabul,” citing wartime atrocities, failed political ambitions, and foreign ties.
Former U.S. envoy for Afghanistan peace Zalmay Khalilzad sharply criticized Gulbuddin Hekmatyar on Wednesday, Septermber 7, in a post on X, reigniting debate over the warlord’s violent past and political ambitions.
Khalilzad’s remarks resurfaced accusations that Hekmatyar, known as the “butcher of Kabul,” was responsible for acid attacks on female students, kidnappings in Peshawar, and the devastating shelling of Kabul during the 1990s civil war.
He further claimed that Hekmatyar recently sought a side deal with Taliban deputy leader Mullah Baradar in Moscow but was rejected as “too corrupt” and “a traitor to his people.”
The former envoy also suggested that Hekmatyar has long relied on Pakistan’s ISI and Iran’s Quds Force to sustain influence, arguing that such ties undermine his credibility among Afghans.
“Hekmatyar, the butcher of Kabul, who used to throw acid into the faces of female students in Kabul, infamous in Peshawar for assassinating or kidnapping members of other resistance groups, a person who participated in the bloody civil war following the Soviet withdrawal, throwing bombs on his own city, destroying entire neighborhoods and killing hundreds — now trying to reinvent himself as a political and moral authority, Khalilzad stated.”
Zalmay Khalilzad is often blamed for the flawed Doha deal that paved the way for the Taliban’s return. Critics accuse him of lobbying for the Taliban internationally while overlooking their repression and now denouncing Hekmatyar as the “Butcher of Kabul.” Observers argue that his shifting alliances and past ties to both groups reflect a pattern of political opportunism and dirty bargaining rather than genuine concern for Afghanistan’s people.
Hekmatyar, leader of Hezb-e Islami, played a major role in Afghanistan’s conflicts following the Soviet withdrawal, with his forces blamed for heavy civilian casualties. Khalilzad’s intervention underscores how Afghanistan’s unresolved past still shapes today’s politics, leaving figures like Hekmatyar struggling for legitimacy amid widespread public distrust.
Despite his attempts to reinvent himself, Hekmatyar has also become an outspoken critic of the Taliban regime, frequently condemning its harsh restrictions, internal corruption, and failure to provide basic governance. His speeches highlight divisions among former mujahideen leaders and the Taliban rulers now in power.
Observers note that while Hekmatyar continues to seek a political role, public memory of his wartime record continues to overshadow his efforts to rebrand as a statesman. Critics argue that his own history of authoritarianism and bloodshed makes his criticism of today’s rulers ring hollow.