Taliban Tame The "Lion Of Herat", Capture His Afghan City

The "Lion of Herat" has been a huge figure throughout Afghanistan's tumultuous modern history, initially rising to be one of the most powerful mujahideen rebel figures fighting the Soviets in the 1980s and 1990s.

A month ago, one of Afghanistan's most famous warlords vowed to defend his city from the Taliban as he called for locals to join the fight. But on Friday Ismail Khan was in the Taliban's hands as militants patrolled the dusty streets of Herat, his longtime fiefdom and the nation's third-biggest city. The "Lion of Herat" has been a huge figure throughout Afghanistan's tumultuous modern history, initially rising to be one of the most powerful mujahideen rebel figures fighting the Soviets in the 1980s and 1990s. From Herat, his vast militia then had a series of successes against the Taliban when the hardline Islamic group was rising to power.