Abdul Jabar (Qala-i-Jangi captive)
Abdul Jabar | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1975 Tashkent, Uzbekistan |
| Occupation(s) | Detainee, survivor of Qala-i-Jangi prison uprising |
| Known for | Surviving the Qala-i-Jangi prison uprising |
Abdul Jabar (born 1975) was a detainee who survived the Qala-i-Jangi prison uprising. The New York Times identified him as a 26-year-old Uzbek national originating from Tashkent.
According to Jabar’s account to the New York Times, he had spent approximately one year in northern Afghanistan prior to the al Qaeda attacks on September 11, 2001. He was engaged in activities in Kabul alongside the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, which consisted of around 150 Uzbeks.
Jabar explained that the revolt erupted because the Afghan Northern Alliance did not fulfill promises to release foreign fighters who surrendered their weapons peacefully. The rebellion was initiated by the group's commander, Juma Namangani:
The Guardian noted that Namangani died during combat before any surrender took place.
Before the uprising, Jabar estimated there were roughly 400 prisoners; however, only 85 survived the conflict. He recounted seeking shelter from bombardment by the Northern Alliance in trenches and ditches, eventually moving from the courtyard into the basement. The authorities employed artillery and rocket attacks, and on November 29, 2001, attempted to inundate the basement area with burning fuel:
On December 1, 2001, Northern Alliance Commander Din Muhammad redirected irrigation channels to flood the basement space:
Following these events, survivors were transported in industrial shipping containers to a more secure detention location.
Jabar expressed concerns about being returned to Uzbekistan:
He condemned al Qaeda’s September 11 attacks and asserted that his group held no animosity toward the United States:
During an interview with Luke Harding, Jabar attributed the outbreak of hostilities to "our commander," likely referring to Tahir Uldosh, who is believed to have perished during the uprising.
There are no records indicating that Abdul Jabar was transferred to the Guantanamo Bay detention camps located in Cuba.