Afghanistan, Taliban Artillery Regimental Color

Afghanistan - Taliban Artillery Regimental H.Q. Color, taken Nov. 2001, Jalalabad, Afghanistan.
This Taliban flag was recovered from the rubble of what is believed to be the regimental commander's office of the headquarters of the Taliban Army in Jalalabad, Afghanistan. It was recovered in November 2001 by independent film maker Jim Burroughs while filming the aftermath of American bombing on the Taliban Military Headquarters in Jalalabad, Afghanistan.

The flag is a Taliban Army artillery regimental commander's flag, recognizable by the name of the commander and regiment written below the Arabic inscription "God is Great". The symbols of crossed cannons can be recognized on the center of the banner. This regimental flag was recovered from the rubble of the commander's office. There are stains and caking of blood on the flag. Cords and a finial were recovered with the flag.

Video footage of the missile taking off from U.S. warship that destroyed the military headquarters are in the ZFC files. Actual video of the missile hitting the building and the subsequent explosion are documented in the video. There are additional images of the independent journalist Jim Burroughs who is covering the war finding the flag in the rubble of the commander's office a week after the missile strike. The flag was attached to a pole that was buried under rubble, requiring Burroughs to cut it from it's staff. The flag and digital video were added to the collection in Oct/Nov 2002.

Exhibition History:
First Presidio Exhibit
(ZFC0504)
Afghanistan (Taliban Regime) 170th Regimental Artillery Color

Second Presidio Exhibit, 2003 - Gallery VI
(ZFC0504)
Afghanistan (Taliban Regime) 170th Regimental Artillery Color

University of California - Santa Cruz
(ZFC0504)
Board of Councilors Meeting, Rare Flags Exhibit
Santa Cruz, CA
7 June 2012

Publication History:

Madaus, Howard M., Dr, Whitney Smith, The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord and Conflict. Santa Cruz: VZ Publications, 2006, p.139.


Provenance:
• Taliban Regime, Afghanistan, 170th Artillery Regiment, 1996(?) - 2001.
• Acquired in rubble Taliban Military Headquarters, Jalalabad, Afghanistan, by journalist James Burroughs, 2001.
• Sold by private treaty to Zaricor Flag Collection, 2002.


ZFC Significant Flag

Sources:

---

Burroughs, Jim, Blood on the Lens: Blood on the lens: a filmmaker's quest for truth in Afghanistan, Washington, D.C., Potomac Books, 2007.

War Trophy, Wikipedia, 15 November 2011, from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_trophy

James Edward Burrows, Wikipedia, 15 November 2011, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Burrows

Image Credits:
Zaricor Flag Collection

Hoist & Fly
Width of Hoist	24
Length of Fly	36

Frame
Is it framed?	no

Stars
Are there stars on obverse?	no
Are there stars on reverse?	no

Stripes
Has a Blood Stripe?	no

Nationality
Nation Represented	Afghanistan

Fabric
Fabric	Silk

Attachment
Method of Attachment	None

Applica
Applique Sides	Double Faced = Reads correctly on both sides

Documentation
Public Copy & Signs

Condition
Condition	Good
Damage	Used, soiled
Displayable	no

Date
Date	2002-2003

Exhibits

Exhibition Copy

First Presidio Exhibit (ZFC0504) Afghanistan (Taliban Regime) 170th Regimental Artillery Color Comment: Following 9/11, American forces quickly overthrew the tyrannical Taliban regime in Afghanistan. Jim Burroughs, a distinguished independent film producer, made a real-time video record of the destruction of the Taliban military headquarters in Jalalabad, Afghanistan in November of 2001. He also was able to retrieve a Taliban flag now part of the Zaricor Flag Collection from the bombed-out building. That flag, caked with blood, is probably is the only "souvenir" in an American flag collection of that oppressive era in Afghanistan. Throughout American history, similar flags from earlier wars have reminded us of the heroic efforts of the United States armed forces in defense of our security and liberties. The flag is black, the traditional national color of Afghanistan, and is fringed in white and pink. It bears a wreath surrounding the crossed-cannon symbol for artillery. The design, construction, and the staff finial (also salvaged) identify this as a rank flag from the commander's office in Jalalabad. The traditional Muslim battle cry "God Is Great" appears above the gold-embroidered emblem, which is represented at the fly end of the flag. Because Arabic script reads from right to left, the hoist of the flag is to the observer's right when the obverse (the principal face of the flag) is seen. Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC0504) in 2002 from James Burroughs. Second Presidio Exhibit, 2003 - GALLERY VI (ZFC0504) Afghanistan (Taliban Regime) 170th Regimental Artillery Color Date: 2002 Medium: Silk with silk fringe and embroidery Comment: Following 9/11, American forces quickly overthrew the tyrannical Taliban regime in Afghanistan. Jim Burroughs, a distinguished independent film producer, made a real-time video record of the destruction of the Taliban military headquarters in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, in November 2001. He also was able to retrieve a Taliban flagnow part of the Zaricor Flag Collectionfrom the bombed-out building. That flag, which is said to be caked with blood, probably is the only souvenir in any American flag collection of that oppressive era in Afghanistan. Throughout American history, similar flags from earlier wars have reminded us of the heroic efforts of the United States armed forces in defense of our security and liberties. The flag is black, the traditional national color of Afghanistan, and is fringed in white and pink. It bears a wreath surrounding the crossed-cannon symbol for artillery. The design, construction, and the staff finial (also salvaged) identify this as a rank flag from the commanders office in Jalalabad. The traditional Muslim battle cry God Is Almighty appears above the gold-embroidered emblem, which is represented at the fly end of the flag. Because Arabic script reads from right to left, the hoist of the flag is to the observers right when the obverse (the principal face of the flag) is seen. University of California - Santa Cruz Board of Councilors Meeting, Rare Flags Exhibit Santa Cruz, CA 7 June 2012 Santa Cruz, CA, June 7, 2012: The Zaricor Flag Collection exhibited 34 flags and artifacts at the University of California Santa Cruz Campus for the Board of Councilors Meeting. Taliban Flag (Afghanistan) 170th Regimental Artillery Color Date: 2002 Media: Silk with silk fringe and embroidery. Comment: Following 9/11, American forces quickly overthrew the tyrannical Taliban regime in Afghanistan. Jim Burroughs, a distinguished independent film producer, made a real-time video record of the destruction of the Taliban military headquarters in Jalalabad, Afghanistan in November 2001. He also was able to retrieve a Taliban flag from the bombed-out building. That flag, which is said to be caked with blood, probably is the only souvenir in any American flag collection of that oppressive era in Afghanistan. Throughout American history, similar flags from earlier wars have reminded us of the heroic efforts of the United States armed forces in defense of our security and liberty. The flag is black, one of the traditional national colors of both Islam and Afghanistan, and it is fringed in white and pink. It bears a wreath surrounding the crossed-cannon symbol for artillery. The design, construction, and the staff finial (also salvaged) identify this as a flag from the commander's office in Jalalabad. The traditional Muslim battle cry, "God Is Almighty" appears above the gold-embroidered emblem, which is represented at the fly end of the flag. Because Arabic script reads from right to left, the hoist of the flag is to the observer's right when the obverse (the principal face of the flag) is seen. Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC0504) in 2002 from James Burroughs. www.FlagCollection.com

Publications

Publication Copy

Madaus, Howard M., Dr, Whitney Smith, The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord and Conflict. Santa Cruz: VZ Publications, 2006, was to be on p.139. Afghanistan (Taliban Regime) 170th Regimental Artillery Color Islamic extremists of the Taliban regime ruling Afghanistan hosted Osama bin Laden and others who planned the World Trade Center attack and related terrorist actions. In retaliation the United States invaded the country and overthrew the Taliban regime in 2001-2002. During that war this flag was recovered from the military headquarters of the 170th Artillery Regiment. Film footage shows a missile being fired by a U.S. Navy vessel and, later, striking the regimental headquarters. This is exemplary of the power of modern technology in documenting flag history. The two flags presented on this spread, (flag was intended to be juxtaposed with ZFC3911) dug from rubble within 60 days of each other, give mute testimony to related events of world significance. They also emphasize the emotional importance of flags in an age of high technology warfare. Date: About 2000 Size: 43" hoist x 67" fly Medium: Silk with silk fringe and embroidery Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection in 2002 from James Burroughs, independent journalist and producer ZFC0504