16 Facts About Sibghatullah Mojaddedi

Sibghatullah Mojaddedi was an Afghan politician, who served as Acting President after the fall of Mohammad Najibullah's government in April 1992.

Sibghatullah Mojaddedi was the first leader to call for armed resistance against the Soviet-backed regime in 1979 and founded the Afghan National Liberation Front at the time; later becoming a respected figure among the various Afghan mujahideen.

Sibghatullah Mojaddedi served as the chairman of the 2003 loya jirga that approved Afghanistan's new constitution.

Sibghatullah Mojaddedi studied Islamic Law and Jurisprudence at al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt.

In 1959 Sibghatullah Mojaddedi was accused of conspiring against then Soviet Prime Minister Nikita Khrushchev and was imprisoned without trial until 1964.

Sibghatullah Mojaddedi was the first person to call for a nationwide jihad against the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, on March 13,1979.

Sibghatullah Mojaddedi's vision was an Islamic republic, possibly with a restored monarchy.

Sibghatullah Mojaddedi was opposed to Islamic fundamentalism and harbored friendly feelings towards the West.

Sibghatullah Mojaddedi's election was supported by all mujahideen guerilla factions except the Hezb-e Islami Gulbuddin, whose forces started firing rockets at the capital; violent clashes took place between them and soldiers of the new coalition near the Interior Ministry building.

In May 1992, Burhanuddin Rabbani established a new leadership council, which undermined Sibghatullah Mojaddedi's leadership, resulting in his resignation and handing over power to a new council.

Sibghatullah Mojaddedi caused controversy there by publicly calling Malalai Joya a "communist" and "infidel" after her speech, for which he later apologized.

On 26 August 2015, Sibghatullah Mojaddedi launched a new political coalition, the Council of Jihad and National Political Parties.

Two suicide bombers carried out an attack in Kabul on 12 March 2006 against Sibghatullah Mojaddedi, while he was a member of the upper house and head of a reconciliation committee aimed at engaging former Taliban members.

Four pedestrians were killed and Sibghatullah Mojaddedi was slightly injured, with burns to his face and hands.

Sibghatullah Mojaddedi was falsely reported to have died on 9 February 2016.

Sibghatullah Mojaddedi was reported to have been present at a ceremony commemorating the 27th anniversary of the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan on 15 February 2016.