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64-607: The conference opened on November 27, 2001 brought together many adversaries with a common enemy: the Taliban. The US, Russia, and Iran, fervent enemies, all sat down together and cooperated against the Taliban. So too did rivals India and Pakistan. Also included were representatives of the Northern Alliance (the main Taliban adversary within Afghanistan), and various Afghan ethnic and interest groups. Not included were

128-467: A Pashtun Khalqi known for being the brutal commander of Pul-e-Charkhi . Momim refused to step down, he and ethnic Uzbek , General Rashid Dostum defected and allied with Ahmad Shah Massoud and Ali Mazari forming the Northern Alliance. The alliance would take the city of Mazar-i Sharif on March 19, 1992 and launching a massive offensive towards the capital of Kabul. Many non Pashtuns in

192-435: A 1995 report: This is the first time in several months that Kabul civilians have become the targets of rocket attacks and shelling aimed at residential areas in the city. The Taliban's early victories in 1994 were followed by a series of defeats that resulted in heavy losses which led analysts to believe the Taliban movement had run its course. At that point Pakistan and Saudi Arabia drastically increased their support to

256-491: A Taliban insurgency gained increasing strength. In 2010, Afghan President Karzai decided that the only way to end the Taliban insurgency was to call for peace. This process became accepted and supported by all international partners of Afghanistan, except by several key figures of the Northern Alliance such as Abdullah Abdullah, Ahmad Zia Massoud, Mohammad Mohaqiq, and others. The opposition, by then splintered into several parties, warned that Karzai's appeasement policy could come at

320-713: A consequent overwhelming support for India among Karzai's Afghan government officials, Pakistan looked to neutralise this threat by cultivating the Taliban in 2001. The assistance provided by India was extensive, including uniforms, ordnance, mortars, small armaments, refurbished Kalashnikovs, combat and winter clothes, as well as funds. In 2001 alone, according to several international sources, 28,000–30,000 Afghans, who took refuge in Pakistan during Afghan jihad, 14,000–15,000 Afghan Taliban and 2,000–3,000 Al Qaeda militants were fighting against anti-Taliban forces in Afghanistan as

384-458: A large-scale attack on U.S. soil being imminent. On September 9, 2001, two Arab suicide attackers , allegedly belonging to Al Qaeda, posing as journalists, detonated a bomb hidden in a video camera while interviewing Ahmed Shah Massoud in the Takhar province of Afghanistan. Commander Massoud died in a helicopter that was taking him to a hospital. He was buried in his home village of Bazarak in

448-532: A nationwide political process with the goal of national consolidation and democratic elections , also inviting the Taliban to join the process but they refused as they opposed a democratic system. The Taliban started shelling Kabul in early 1995 but were defeated by forces of the Islamic State government under Ahmad Shah Massoud . Amnesty International , referring to the Taliban offensive, wrote in

512-603: A permanent government. Who would lead the interim government was the thorniest question. King Mohammed Zahir Shah , in exile in Italy since 1973, had good support but he lacked practical experience in fighting mujahedeen style and was now an elderly 87. Burhanuddin Rabbani , leader of the Jamiat-e Islami , was nominally the current president but needed the backing of the conference if he was to stay in power any longer. Into

576-626: A return to the chaos similar to that of the 1992–1996 civil war , all the Afghan leaders met in Germany to create a new government. Hamid Karzai was chosen to lead the country and most key positions were given to Tajik members of the Northern Alliance. This created a major international issue. While Pakistan has always favored Afghanistan's major ethnic group, the Pashtun, India saw an opportunity for increasing its regional power by jumping on board with

640-493: A roughly 45,000 strong military force. Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf – then as Chief of Army Staff – was responsible for sending thousands of Pakistanis to fight alongside the Taliban and Bin Laden against the forces of Ahmad Shah Massoud. Of the estimated 28,000 Afghan refugees returned from Pakistan fighting in Afghanistan, 8,000 were militants recruited in madrassas filling regular Taliban ranks. A 1998 document by

704-770: The "Airlift of Evil" . The role of the Pakistani military has been described by international observers as well as by the anti-Taliban leader Ahmad Shah Massoud as a "creeping invasion". The "creeping invasion" proved unable to defeat the severely outnumbered anti-Taliban forces. According to a 55-page report by the United Nations , the Taliban, while trying to consolidate control over northern and western Afghanistan, committed systematic massacres against civilians. UN officials stated that there had been "15 massacres" between 1996 and 2001. They also said, that "[t]hese have been highly systematic and they all lead back to

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768-594: The Afghan military defected to the alliance. After removing Najibullah from power the alliance would dismantle as another civil war would break out between the various groups and Gulbuddin Hekmatyar's Hezbi Islami which many Pashtun Khalqists allied with. The civil war would see foreign interference from Saudi Arabia and Iran , as competitors for regional hegemony , supported Afghan militias hostile towards each other. According to Human Rights Watch, Iran

832-598: The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan . Ahmad Shah Massoud and Abdul Rashid Dostum , former allies and enemies, recreated a United Front (Northern Alliance) against the Taliban that were preparing offensives against the remaining areas under the control of Massoud and those under the control of Dostum. The United Front included beside the dominantly Tajik forces of Massoud and the Uzbek forces of Dostum, Hazara troops led by Haji Mohammad Mohaqiq and Pashtun forces under

896-556: The Junbish-e Milli-yi Islami-yi Afghanistan . During the 1990s, Najibullah's regime had grown to rely on pro-government militias to fight the Mujahideen insurgency. Abdul Momim was a trained army officer who had proved capable of winning over members of the insurgency and had been given command of a militia unit. Officially designated as the 70th Division, this unit was based at Hairatan ,

960-608: The Karzai administration . Amidst the Fall of Kabul in 2021 , former Northern Alliance leaders and other anti-Taliban figures regrouped as the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan . The United Front 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

1024-586: The Panjshir Valley . The funeral, although taking place in a rather rural area, was attended by hundreds of thousands of mourning people. The assassination of Massoud is considered to have a strong connection to the attacks in the U.S. two days later, which killed nearly 3,000 people and which appeared to be the terrorist attack that Massoud had warned against in his speech to the European Parliament several months earlier. John P. O'Neill

1088-788: The Six plus Two Group meetings at the United Nations Headquarters. In November and December 2001 the United Front gained control of much of the country and played a crucial role in establishing the post-Taliban interim government of Hamid Karzai in late 2001. After the September 11 attacks in the United States in 2001, the United Front succeeded in retaking Kabul from the Taliban with air support from US-led forces during Operation Enduring Freedom . Despite fears of

1152-477: The U.S. State Department confirms that "20–40 percent of [regular] Taliban soldiers are returned Afghans from Pakistani refugee camps". Human Rights Watch wrote in 2000: Of all the foreign powers involved in efforts to sustain and manipulate the ongoing fighting [in Afghanistan], Pakistan is distinguished both by the sweep of its objectives and the scale of its efforts, which include soliciting funding for

1216-589: The Women's Rights Declaration. At the same time he was very wary not to revive the failed Kabul government of the early 1990s. Already in 1999 the United Front leadership ordered the training of police forces specifically to keep order and protect the civilian population in case the United Front would be successful. In early 2001 Ahmad Shah Massoud addressed the European Parliament in Brussels asking

1280-416: The international community to provide humanitarian help to the people of Afghanistan. He stated that the Taliban and Al Qaeda had introduced "a very wrong perception of Islam " and that without the support of Pakistan and Bin Laden the Taliban would not be able to sustain their military campaign for up to a year. On this visit to Europe he also warned that his intelligence had gathered information about

1344-535: The 1990s, Iran was the primary state sponsor of the Northern Alliance, along with India and Russia. By contrast, the Taliban were supported by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the UAE . Because of Indian influence in the Alliance, Pakistan feared a Northern Alliance victory would result in Pakistan's encirclement by India on one side and an Indian-allied Northern Alliance on the other. During the 1990s, Turkey also supported

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1408-674: The Afghanistan Justice Project. Because of the chaos, some leaders increasingly had only nominal control over their (sub-)commanders. Human Rights Watch writes: Rare ceasefires, usually negotiated by representatives of Ahmad Shah Massoud , Sibghatullah Mojaddedi or Burhanuddin Rabbani [the interim government], or officials from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), commonly collapsed within days. Meanwhile, southern Afghanistan

1472-425: The Northern Alliance increased dramatically. Iran established an " airbridge " between Mashhad and the Afghan airbases of Bagram and Kulyab to ferry large quantities of arms to the Northern Alliance. For example, it was reported that on one day alone in 1997, 13 Iranian flights arrived at Bagram. In another instance, Iran was believed to have been found sending 700 tons of arms via Tajikistan. On August 1, 1997

1536-585: The Northern Alliance. During the early 1990s the Najibullah regime funded pro government militias all over the country in order to fight the mujahedeen insurgency however Najibullah, an ethnic Pashtun began to mistrust the mostly non-Pashtun militias in the north many of whom had ties to Ahmad Shah Massoud . In an effort to reassert his control over the supply lines in the North, Najibullah replaced General Abdul Momim , an ethnic Tajik , with General Rasul,

1600-409: The Northern Alliance. The alliance's capture of Mazar-i-Sharif and more importantly the supplies kept there crippled the Afghan military and began the end of Najibullah's government. Following the collapse of Najibullah's government the Alliance would fall with a Second Civil War breaking out however following the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan 's ( Taliban ) takeover of Kabul , The United Front

1664-454: The Northern Alliance. Israel was initially not critical of the Taliban, as both governments opposed Iran, and the Mossad reached out to the Taliban. However, later, under pressure from United States and Turkey, Israel instead began reaching out to the Northern Alliance, even though it remained suspicious of the Alliance's pro-Iran position. Due to Indian backing of Karzai's administration and

1728-675: The Secretary-General for Afghanistan The Guardian: The new Afghan administration Northern Alliance Non-state allies: Non-state opponents: The Northern Alliance ( Dari : ائتلاف شمال E'tilāf Šumāl or اتحاد شمال Ettehād Šumāl ), officially known as the United Islamic National Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan ( Dari : جبهه متحد اسلامی ملی برای نجات افغانستان Jabha-ye Muttahid-e Islāmī-ye Millī barāye Najāt-e Afğānistān ),

1792-581: The Security Council stated it was "deeply distress[ed] over reports of involvement in the fighting, on the Taliban side, of thousands of non-Afghan nationals". In July 2001, several countries including the United States, accused Pakistan of being "in violation of U.N. sanctions because of its military aid to the Taliban". In 2000, British Intelligence reported that the ISI was taking an active role in several Al Qaeda training camps. The ISI helped with

1856-577: The Taliban and their allies in 1998. Dostum subsequently went into exile. Ahmad Shah Massoud remained the only major anti-Taliban leader inside the country who was able to defend vast parts of his territory against the Pakistani Army, the Taliban and Al-Qaeda, not once leaving Afghanistan except for diplomatic purposes. The Taliban repeatedly offered Massoud money and a position of power to make him stop his resistance. Massoud declined. He explained in one interview: The Taliban say: "Come and accept

1920-694: The Taliban launched an attack on Sheberghan, the main military base of Abdul Rashid Dostum. Dostum has said the reason the attack was successful was due to 1500 Pakistani commandos taking part and that the Pakistani air force also gave support. In October to November 1998, the Northern Alliance used Iranian and Russian arms to recapture territory from the Taliban near the Uzbekistan and Tajikistan border. In 1998, Iran accused Pakistan of sending its air force to bomb Mazar-i-Sharif in support of Taliban forces and directly accused Pakistani troops for "war crimes at Bamiyan ". The same year Russia said that Pakistan

1984-503: The Taliban themselves, which seemed like an obvious choice at the time since they appeared defeated, but in hindsight their absence may have greatly prolonged the Afghan conflict. The conference was organized by US Secretary of State Colin Powell at the behest of President George W. Bush . The conference was borne out of necessity: with the Taliban toppled, there was no obvious government in Afghanistan. The country risked sliding back into

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2048-552: The Taliban to Afghanistan. Between 1996 and 2001, the Northern Alliance blocked the Taliban and al-Qaeda from gaining control of the entirety of Afghanistan. Many internally displaced persons found shelter in areas controlled by Ahmad Shah Massoud. After the September 2001 attacks in the United States, U.S. air raids followed by ground troops of the United Front ousted the Taliban from power in Kabul. Between November and December 2001,

2112-420: The Taliban, bankrolling Taliban operations, providing diplomatic support as the Taliban's virtual emissaries abroad, arranging training for Taliban fighters, recruiting skilled and unskilled manpower to serve in Taliban armies, planning and directing offensives, providing and facilitating shipments of ammunition and fuel, and ... directly providing combat support. After Taliban captured Kabul, Iran's assistance to

2176-478: The Taliban. Many analysts like Amin Saikal describe the Taliban as developing into a proxy force for Pakistan's regional interests. On September 26, 1996, as the Taliban with military support by Pakistan and financial support by Saudi Arabia, prepared for another major offensive against the capital Kabul, Massoud ordered a full retreat from the city. The Taliban seized Kabul on September 27, 1996, and established

2240-512: The United Front gained control of most major Afghan cities. Had it not been for the United Front, the U.S. would have needed to deploy large number of ground troops, as was done in the Iraq War . Abdul Momim General Abdul Momim or Abdul Mumin (? – January 5, 1994), was an ethnic Tajik officer who played a crucial role in the downfall of the government of Mohammad Najibullah . In January 1992, he joined Abdul Rashid Dostum to form

2304-480: 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

2368-521: The [Taliban] Ministry of Defense or to Mullah Omar himself". Al Qaeda's so-called 055 Brigade was also responsible for mass-killings of Afghan civilians. The report by the United Nations quotes eyewitnesses in many villages describing Arab fighters "carrying long knives used for slitting throats and skinning people". After longstanding battles especially for the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif, Abdul Rashid Dostum and his Junbish-i Milli forces alongside allied Hezb-e Wahdat forces were defeated by

2432-477: The anarchical warlord period of the Afghan Civil War (1992–1996) , which had seen widespread atrocities and given rise to the Taliban. The conference determined that an interim government would rule for 6 months, followed by a loya jirga (grand assembly) which would create an 18 month transitional government. The transitional government's job would be to create a constitution and organize elections for

2496-526: The assassination of Massoud]. I don't like the way things are lining up in Afghanistan. ... I sense a shift, and I think things are going to happen. ... soon. O'Neill died the following day, when the south tower collapsed. After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, United Front troops ousted the Taliban from power in Kabul with American air support in Operation Enduring Freedom , using intelligence reports offered by Iran during

2560-437: The bottom of Afghan society including the Pashtun areas. In total, estimates range up to one million people fleeing the Taliban. Many civilians fled to the area of Ahmad Shah Massoud . National Geographic concluded in its documentary "Inside the Taliban" : "The only thing standing in the way of future Taliban massacres is Ahmad Shah Massoud ". In the areas under his control Massoud set up democratic institutions and signed

2624-455: The cabinet seats. Karzai was informed of his elevation to the presidency on December 5, 2001, only minutes after a US air strike mistakenly targeted him; he had escaped with minor injuries, but 13 others including top advisors were killed. Karzai now had the difficult task of unifying the country after 23 years of constant war—a war that was still not over. Minister of Defense following the election of 2004 until 2012. Special Representative of

International Conference on Afghanistan, Bonn (2001) - Misplaced Pages Continue

2688-410: The central government's control. In late 1994, most of the militia factions which had been fighting in the battle for control of Kabul were defeated militarily by forces of the Islamic State's Minister of Defense Ahmad Shah Massoud . Bombardment of the capital came to a halt. The Islamic State government took steps to restore law and order. Courts started to work again. Massoud tried to initiate

2752-528: 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

2816-885: The construction of training camps for both the Taliban and Al Qaeda . From 1996 to 2001 the Al Qaeda of Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri became a state within the Taliban state. Bin Laden sent Arab and Central Asian Al-Qaeda militants to join the fight against the United Front among them his Brigade 055 . With the fall of Kabul to anti-Taliban forces in November 2001, ISI forces worked with and helped Taliban militias who were in full retreat. In November 2001, Taliban, Al-Qaeda combatants and ISI operatives were safely evacuated from Kunduz on Pakistan Air Force cargo aircraft to Pakistan Air Force bases in Chitral and Gilgit in Pakistan's Northern Areas in what has been dubbed

2880-460: The cost of Afghanistan's political and economic development, including the progress made in areas such as education and women's rights. Because NATO excluded the Karzai administration and the opposition leaders were excluded from secret talks with the Taliban, Karzai's political rhetoric was increasingly adjusted to Taliban demands, United Front leaders, and in late 2011, regrouped to oppose a return of

2944-526: The demise of Najibullah, a new phase in the civil war began. Momim's division was still stationed in Hairatan, but he also had some forces in Kabul. He remained within Junbish, but he also had good relations with Massoud, and in 1993 he began to expand his influence by creating other military units. In January 1994, he died in a mysterious helicopter crash, which was widely blamed on Dostum. His death came at

3008-519: The fray came Hamid Karzai . Karzai was a charismatic Pashtun who had gained notice after staging a revolution against the Taliban in the south. He was well liked by the US CIA , who had already had their eyes on him as a potential leader. Pakistan preferred Karzai over the old King, who would have been more anti-Pakistan. A deal was proposed that the King would have a ceremonial role but Karzai would take

3072-460: The lead. Eventually the King himself turned down the idea that he should have a hand in a government, suggesting that Karzai was like a son to him and should lead. This did not sit well with the supporters of Rabbani, but skillful diplomatic maneuvering by Russia, Iran, and the US negotiator James Dobbins gave Karzai the role over Rabbani. In exchange, ethnic Tajiks from the Northern Alliance won half of

3136-509: The leadership of commanders such as Abdul Haq and Haji Abdul Qadir . Notable politicians and diplomats of the United Front included Abdul Rahim Ghafoorzai , Abdullah Abdullah and Masood Khalili . From the Taliban conquest of Kabul in September 1996 until November 2001 the United Front controlled roughly 30% of Afghanistan's population in provinces such as Badakhshan , Kapisa , Takhar and parts of Parwan , Kunar , Nuristan , Laghman , Samangan , Kunduz , Ghōr and Bamyan . Throughout

3200-460: 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 , however, did not fall under the direct control of Massoud but remained under their respective regional or ethnic leaders. Military commanders of

3264-532: The north-east and based in Badakhshan province . The US invaded Afghanistan , providing support to Northern Alliance troops on the ground in a two-month war against the Taliban, which they 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

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3328-426: The people now. They are weaker than in the past. There is only the assistance given by Pakistan, Osama bin Laden and other extremist groups that keep the Taliban on their feet. With a halt to that assistance, it is extremely difficult to survive. In early 2001 the United Front employed a new strategy of local military pressure and global political appeals. Resentment was increasingly gathering against Taliban rule from

3392-404: The post of prime minister and be with us", and they would keep the highest office in the country, the presidentship. But for what price?! The difference between us concerns mainly our way of thinking about the very principles of the society and the state. We can not accept their conditions of compromise, or else we would have to give up the principles of modern democracy. We are fundamentally against

3456-450: The strategic border crossing in northern Afghanistan. Despite being nominally loyal to the Kabul regime, Momim used his position to divert supplies to fellow militia leader Abdul Rashid Dostum , while at the same time giving intelligence to guerrilla leader Ahmad Shah Massoud . In January 1992, Najibullah tried to reassert his command over his supply lines by replacing the non- Pashtun militia leaders with Pashtun officers. His first move

3520-404: The support of the Northern Alliance in the early days of the war. With both nations seeking to increase or maintain their regional power through opposing factions on the ground, observers came to view the conflict in Afghanistan as a proxy-war between the two state powers. From 2002 to 2004, war activity in Afghanistan was relatively calm. By 2006, however, with the support of Pakistan and Iran,

3584-488: The system called "the Emirate of Afghanistan". There should be an Afghanistan where every Afghan finds himself or herself happy. And I think that can only be assured by democracy based on consensus. Massoud wanted to convince the Taliban to join a political process leading towards democratic elections in a foreseeable future. He also stated: The Taliban are not a force to be considered invincible. They are distanced from

3648-434: The two militias soon escalated into a full-scale war. Due to the sudden initiation of the war, working government departments, police units or a system of justice and accountability for the newly created Islamic State of Afghanistan did not have time to form. Atrocities were committed by individuals of the different armed factions while Kabul descended into lawlessness and chaos as described in reports by Human Rights Watch and

3712-647: Was a counter-terrorism expert and the Assistant Director of the FBI until late 2001. He retired from the FBI and was offered the position of director of security at the World Trade Center (WTC). He took the job at the WTC two weeks before 9/11. On September 10, 2001, John O'Neill told two of his friends, We're due. And we're due for something big. ... Some things have happened in Afghanistan [referring to

3776-593: Was a military alliance of groups that operated between early 1992 and 2001 following the dissolution of the Soviet Union . At that time, many non-Pashtun Northerners originally with the Republic of Afghanistan led by Mohammad Najibullah became disaffected with Pashtun Khalqist Afghan Army officers holding control over non-Pashtun militias in the North. Defectors such as Rashid Dostum and Abdul Momim allied with Ahmad Shah Massoud and Ali Mazari forming

3840-682: Was backing the Shia Hazara Hezb-e Wahdat forces of Abdul Ali Mazari in order to "maximize Wahdat's military power and influence". Saudi Arabia supported the Wahhabite Abdul Rasul Sayyaf and his Ittehad-e Islami faction. A publication by the George Washington University describes: [O]utside forces saw instability in Afghanistan as an opportunity to press their own security and political agendas. Conflict between

3904-539: Was reassembled. The Northern Alliance fought a defensive war against the Taliban regime. They received support from India , Iran , Russia , Tajikistan , Turkmenistan , the United States and Uzbekistan , while the Taliban were extensively backed by the Pakistan Army and Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence . By 2001, the Northern Alliance controlled less than 10% of the country, cornered in

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3968-524: Was responsible for the military expansion of the Taliban in northern Afghanistan by sending large numbers of Pakistani troops, some of whom had subsequently been taken as prisoners by the anti-Taliban United Front. In 2000, the UN Security Council imposed an arms embargo against military support to the Taliban, with UN officials explicitly singling out Pakistan. The UN secretary-general implicitly criticized Pakistan for its military support and

4032-717: Was to replace Abdul Momim with General Rasul, a Pashtun Khalqi notorious for his brutal tenure as commander of the Pul-e-Charkhi prison . Momim refused to leave his post, and quickly garnered support from Dostum, who arranged an alliance with Ismaili militia commander Sayed Mansur Naderi . This coalition, which became the Junbish-e Milli-yi Islami-yi Afghanistan ( National Islamic Movement of Afghanistan ), allied with Massoud and overran much of northern Afghanistan with little fighting. On March 19, they captured Mazar-i-Sharif . After

4096-462: Was under the control of local leaders not affiliated with the central government in Kabul. In 1994, the Taliban – a movement originating from Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam –run religious schools for Afghan refugees in Pakistan – also developed in Afghanistan as a politico-religious force. In November 1994 they took control of the southern city of Kandahar and subsequently expanded their control into several provinces in southern and central Afghanistan not under

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