National Resistance Front of Afghanistan
Anti-Taliban Afghan alliance created in 2021 / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRF),[1][10][11] also known as the Second Resistance,[12][13][14][15] is a military alliance of former Northern Alliance members and other anti-Taliban fighters loyal to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.[16] The founder and president of NRF is Ahmad Massoud. When the Taliban captured Afghanistan on 15 August 2021, former first vice president Amrullah Saleh, citing provisions of the 2004 Constitution, declared himself the caretaker president of Afghanistan and announced the republican resistance against the Taliban.[17][18][19] Saleh's claim to the presidency was endorsed by Ahmad Massoud,[20][19][16] as well as by former Afghan Minister of Defence Bismillah Mohammadi, and the Afghan embassy in Tajikistan including its ambassador Mohammad Zahir Aghbar.[20][19][16]
National Resistance Front of Afghanistan جبههٔ مقاومت ملی (Dari) د ملي مقاومت جبهه (Pashto) | |
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![]() ![]() Flag of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (left)[1][2] Flag of the National Resistance Front (right), used in parallel with the national flag[3] | |
Leader | Ahmad Massoud |
Foreign minister | Ali Maisam Nazary[4] |
Dates of operation | 17 August 2021 – present |
Headquarters | Tajikistan |
Active regions | Panjshir, Parwan, Baghlan, Wardak, Daykundi, and Samangan provinces, Afghanistan |
Ideology | Democratism[5] Decentralization[6] Multiculturalism[6] Social justice[6] |
Status | Active |
Size | Unknown[7] |
Allies | ![]() ![]() |
Opponents | ![]() |
Battles and wars | Afghan conflict |
The NRF exercised de facto control over the Panjshir Valley, which is largely contiguous with Panjshir Province and, as of August 2021, was "the only region out of the Taliban's hands."[18][21] The alliance constitutes the only organized resistance to the Taliban in the country, and is possibly planning an anti-Taliban guerilla struggle.[16][22] The resistance has called for an "inclusive government" of Afghanistan;[20] one of their objectives is speculated to be a stake in the new Afghan government.[16] However, Hibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban's leader, has effectively ruled out an inclusive government.[23]
On 6 September 2021, the Taliban claimed victory in controlling the province. The NRF, however, denied the Taliban victory, stating they continued to hold positions across the valley.[24] As of December 2022,[update] the NRF controls no territory but continues to carry out hit and run guerrilla attacks.[25]