---
title: "A Taliban Lackey Responds To Neller’s Mujahideen Comments In A Very Serious Interview"
date: "2018-05-04"
modified: "2018-05-04"
authors:
  - name: "Jeff Schogol"
    job_title: "Senior Pentagon Reporter"
    link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/jeff-schogol/"
url: "https://taskandpurpose.com/news/taliban-lackey-neller-mujahideen-twitter/"
categories:
  - "Afghanistan"
  - "Around the World"
  - "Marine Corps"
  - "Military Branches"
  - "News"
tags:
  - "central command"
  - "Terrorism"
---

# A Taliban Lackey Responds To Neller’s Mujahideen Comments In A Very Serious Interview

![](<https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/02/18988196-1.jpg>)

After Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller called the Taliban “apostates” and argued that the Afghan security forces and U.S. military are the *true* Mujahideen during an unusual May 2 press briefing, Task & Purpose reached out to the Taliban to get their response — and by “reached out,” this reporter means T&P; trolled the Taliban’s official twitter account until someone replied.

The user, who identifies himself as [Abdulqahar Balkhi](<https://twitter.com/balkhi_04>), is likely affiliated with the Taliban but probably lives outside of Afghanistan, a reliable source told T&P.; This Balkhi is likely the same who spent 2012 [trolling](<https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2012/10/2012101510373939539.html>) the International Security Assistance Force on Twitter in 2012 and was once [described](<https://foreignpolicyblogs.com/2012/08/09/twitterati-hashtags/>) by the Foreign Police Association as "the geopolitical equivalent of that stupid kid who sat behind you in the classroom and poked you in the middle of class — all for no good reason."

The Taliban cheerleader initially claimed falsely that T&P; was making fun of Gen. Neller. As anyone who is been within 150 feet of Gen. Neller can tell you, that would be a really bad idea:

https://twitter.com/balkhi_04/status/992444447567876096

When T&P; pressed Balkhi for a response on Neller’s comments that the Taliban are apostates, he dropped into standard Islamist rhetoric about the “crusaders” being the enemy – and he said the Taliban’s strategy of killing Afghan civilians with suicide bombs is “going great.”

https://twitter.com/balkhi_04/status/992447445169790976

T&P; repeatedly asked Balkhi how he was connected with the Taliban. Balkhi countered by questioning whether this reporter is actually a man:

https://twitter.com/balkhi_04/status/992454208065626112

Guess who just got blocked on Twitter and reported as spam?

**WATCH NEXT:**

## Author
Jeff Schogol is the senior Pentagon reporter for Task & Purpose. He reports on both the Defense Department as a whole as well as individual services, covering a variety of topics that include personnel, policy, military justice, deployments, and technology.

### Author social links  
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[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-schogol-188a9317/>)  
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