Northern Alliance

After the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, the Northern Alliance fought it in a civil war and, following the 9/11 attack, in the Afghanistan War. It was made up of three main ethnic forces, Tajiks under Ahmad Shah Massoud, Uzbeks under Abdul Rashid Dostum and Hazaras under Karim Khalili. From an ethnic standpoint, the Northern Alliance countered the Pashtun people of the south. A different force was involved in the east, especially at the Battle of Tora Bora.

The U.S. first sent CIA officers to work with the Alliance, which paved the way for US special force teams to advise the Alliance and guide assistance including air support. Its campaign in the 2001 war began in the north, first taking Mazar-e-Sharif to open the Friendship Bridge to Uzbekistan, then taking Taloqan in Takhar Province, and climaxing at the Battle of Kunduz. Once these areas were secure, it would move to the Shomali Plain and isolate Kabul, waiting for an international force to secure the capital. In general, it followed this plan, although it did move into Kabul on its own.

Political role

Once the Taliban were driven from power, it renamed itself the United Front. It is now an opposition party to the government of Hamid Karzai, having nominated Dr Abdullah, who uses one name, as Presidential candidate, with Homayoun Shah Wasefi and Cheragh Ali Cheragh as running mates.