In the recently captured areas, armed groups committed many atrocities against the civilian population, and fought each other for supremacy over the province.

[2] Jamil al-Rahman and his Jamaat al-Dawah ila al-Quran wal-Sunnah forces, at the time made up of mostly Arab volunteers, also with support from many rich Saudi and Kuwaiti businessmen,[3] managed to overpower all their rivals, until the only other remaining force in Kunar was Hezb-e Islami Gulbuddin, led by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar.

In March 1990, the two groups agreed to form a joint Shura, but differences quickly reappeared, in particular over the question of the Gulf War.

While Hekmatyar took an anti-American, anti-Saudi monarchy stance, Jamil al-Rahman chose to support his Saudi and Kuwaiti patrons.

In accordance with his Salafi creed, Jamil al-Rahman tried to eradicate Afghan traditions which he considered un-Islamic, such as the use of flags over the graves of martyrs fallen in Jihad, and the building of monuments over the tombs of Pirs.