Matiullah Khan

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Matiullah Khan, a resident of Uruzgan province, was assassinated in Kabul, Afghanistan in March 2015. At the time he was a powerful strongman (some say warlord) in the province of Uruzgan. At the time of his death he was the Provincial Chief of Police (PCoP) of the province. Prior to that he ran a convoy security company that provided security for ISAF convoys in and around the Uruzgan province. He had a close relationship with Australian and U.S. Special Forces; but his his relationship with the Dutch was not as strong. He was a close ally of the former President Karzai.

2002-2004 Period. During this time he led a mlitia - which awa part of the Afghan Miilitary Force (AMF) that was paid for by the Ministry of Defense. After that he became the head of the Highway Police - responsible for the protection of the main road from Kandahar to Tarin Kot.

In 2006, the Highway Police was abolished because of corruption and links to drug smuggling. Matiullah continued his activities with his militia - which became known as the Kandak Amniant- Uruzgan or KAU. He soon was being paid by the American and Austrailian Special Operations Forces (SOF). He assisted in convoy protection, base defense, transport of supplies and fuel, and in counterinsurgency activities.

PCoP. In 2011 he was appointed as the provincial chief of police. This formalized his power base within the province.

References about Matiullah Khan

Derksen, Deedee, Non-State Security Providers and Political Formation in Afghanistan, Centre for Security Governance, No. 3, March 2016. Several pages of this 51-page report is about Matiullah Khan.
www.secgovcentre.org/files/www/CSG_Paper_3_NSSPs_in_Afghanistan_March_2016.pdf

News Reports about Matiullah Khan

April 19, 2015. "The Afghan Warlord With a Cheshire Cat Grin". Newsweek. Rebecca Zimmerman describes "MK" and explains power politics in Uruzgan province.

March 20, 2015. "The unofficial king of Uruzgan".  The Interpreter. This article provides a description of Matiullah Khan and contemplates the security vacuum that has developed in Uruzgan with his assassination.