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Northern Alliance
The Northern Alliance, officially known as the National United Islamic Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan, was an Afghan military organization which fought the Taliban-led Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001 during the Third Afghan Civil War. The organization maintained wide international recognition as the Islamic State of Afghanistan.
The group was founded in September 1996, following the Taliban's takeover of Kabul, by a number of military commanders such as Ahmad Shah Massoud, Ali Mazari and Abdul Rashid Dostum. The alliance was mainly composed of northern ethnic groups of Afghanistan, such as Tajiks, Hazaras and Uzbeks, though later some Pashtuns were also integrated under the leadership of Haji Abdul Qadir. The alliance's main backer was Iran while the Taliban were extensively supported by Pakistan. Due to receiving less aid than the Taliban, the Northern Alliance lost control of pivotal cities and, by 2001, controlled only about 5% of the country, cornered in the northeast and based in Badakhshan province. Its military leader Ahmad Shah Massoud was assassinated on 9 September 2001, two days prior to the September 11 attacks in the United States, which were carried out by the Taliban's ally al-Qaeda. In October 2001, the U.S. invaded Afghanistan, providing support to Northern Alliance troops on the ground in a short war against the Taliban, which they eventually won in December 2001.
With the Taliban forced from control of the country, the Northern Alliance was dissolved as members and parties supported the new Afghan Interim Administration, with some members later becoming part of the Karzai administration. Amidst the fall of Kabul to the Taliban in 2021, a number of former Northern Alliance commanders and other anti-Taliban leaders regrouped as the National Resistance Front (NRF) under the control of Ahmad Massoud, the son of Ahmad Shah Massoud. As such, the NRF has often been regarded as the successor to the Northern Alliance.
The Northern Alliance was formed in late 1996 against the Taliban government by opposition factions. Since early 1999, Ahmad Shah Massoud was the only main leader able to defend his territory against the Taliban, and as such remained as the main de facto political and military leader of the United Front recognized by members of all the different ethnic groups. Massoud decided on the main political line and the general military strategy of the alliance. A part of the United Front military factions, such as Junbish-i Milli or Hezb-e Wahdat, did not fall under the direct control of Massoud but remained under their respective regional or ethnic leaders.
Military commanders of the United Front were either independent or belonged to one of the following political parties:
Military commanders and subcommanders of the United Front included:
The two main political candidates in the 2009 Afghan presidential election both worked for the United Front:
Initially, the city of Mazar-i-Sharif under Dostum's control served as one of the Northern Alliance's headquarters, until the city was overrun in 1997. Under Massoud's control, Taloqan in Takhar Province, north of Panjshir, was the group's headquarters until September 5, 2000, when the city was taken by the Taliban and led to its base moving to Badakhshan Province. Massoud also maintained a private residence in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. It was there where Massoud would meet international diplomatic staff who supported the Northern Alliance.
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Northern Alliance
The Northern Alliance, officially known as the National United Islamic Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan, was an Afghan military organization which fought the Taliban-led Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001 during the Third Afghan Civil War. The organization maintained wide international recognition as the Islamic State of Afghanistan.
The group was founded in September 1996, following the Taliban's takeover of Kabul, by a number of military commanders such as Ahmad Shah Massoud, Ali Mazari and Abdul Rashid Dostum. The alliance was mainly composed of northern ethnic groups of Afghanistan, such as Tajiks, Hazaras and Uzbeks, though later some Pashtuns were also integrated under the leadership of Haji Abdul Qadir. The alliance's main backer was Iran while the Taliban were extensively supported by Pakistan. Due to receiving less aid than the Taliban, the Northern Alliance lost control of pivotal cities and, by 2001, controlled only about 5% of the country, cornered in the northeast and based in Badakhshan province. Its military leader Ahmad Shah Massoud was assassinated on 9 September 2001, two days prior to the September 11 attacks in the United States, which were carried out by the Taliban's ally al-Qaeda. In October 2001, the U.S. invaded Afghanistan, providing support to Northern Alliance troops on the ground in a short war against the Taliban, which they eventually won in December 2001.
With the Taliban forced from control of the country, the Northern Alliance was dissolved as members and parties supported the new Afghan Interim Administration, with some members later becoming part of the Karzai administration. Amidst the fall of Kabul to the Taliban in 2021, a number of former Northern Alliance commanders and other anti-Taliban leaders regrouped as the National Resistance Front (NRF) under the control of Ahmad Massoud, the son of Ahmad Shah Massoud. As such, the NRF has often been regarded as the successor to the Northern Alliance.
The Northern Alliance was formed in late 1996 against the Taliban government by opposition factions. Since early 1999, Ahmad Shah Massoud was the only main leader able to defend his territory against the Taliban, and as such remained as the main de facto political and military leader of the United Front recognized by members of all the different ethnic groups. Massoud decided on the main political line and the general military strategy of the alliance. A part of the United Front military factions, such as Junbish-i Milli or Hezb-e Wahdat, did not fall under the direct control of Massoud but remained under their respective regional or ethnic leaders.
Military commanders of the United Front were either independent or belonged to one of the following political parties:
Military commanders and subcommanders of the United Front included:
The two main political candidates in the 2009 Afghan presidential election both worked for the United Front:
Initially, the city of Mazar-i-Sharif under Dostum's control served as one of the Northern Alliance's headquarters, until the city was overrun in 1997. Under Massoud's control, Taloqan in Takhar Province, north of Panjshir, was the group's headquarters until September 5, 2000, when the city was taken by the Taliban and led to its base moving to Badakhshan Province. Massoud also maintained a private residence in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. It was there where Massoud would meet international diplomatic staff who supported the Northern Alliance.