Northern Alliance

Northern Alliance

The Afghan Northern Allaince, also known as the United Islamic Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan (Persian: ‏ جبهه متحد اسلامی ملی برای نجات افغانستان‎ - Jabha-yi Muttahid-i Islami-yi Milli bara-yi Nijat-i Afghanistan), was a military front that came to formation in late 1996 after the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (Taliban) took over Kabul. The United Front was assembled by key leaders of the Islamic State of Afghanistan, particularly president in exile Burhanuddin Rabbani and former Defense Minister Ahmad Shah Massoud. Initially it included mostly Tajiks but by 2000, leaders of other ethnic groups had joined the Northern Allaince. This included Abdul Rashid Dostum, Mohammad Mohaqiq, Abdul Qadir, Sayed Hussein Anwari and others.

The Northern Alliance fought a defensive war against the Taliban government. They received support from Iran, Russia, Tajikistan and others, while the Taliban were backed by al-Qaeda and Pakistan Armed Forces. The Northern Alliance was mostly made up of ethnic Tajiks, but later included Uzbeks, Hazaras, and Pashtuns. The Taliban government was dominated by Pashtuns with other groups being the minority. After the US-led invasion and establishement of the Karzai administration in late 2001, the Northern Alliance broke apart and different political parties were formed.