The Resistance Front: The Resistance Front was formed in 2021 under the leadership of Ahmad Massoud as an opposition to the caretaker government, with members from the military and generals of the fallen republic. This group proclaimed itself as the “Second Resistance” following the legacy of the earlier United Front of the 1990s, also known as the Northern Alliance, primarily active in the northern regions of Afghanistan under the leadership of Ahmad Shah Massoud and Burhanuddin Rabbani. Members of other factions who engaged in warlordism after the Soviet Union’s defeat were also part of it. These groups controlled areas through an anarchic rule under the banner of the Northern Alliance or Jamiat-e-Islami party.
The latest resistance group initially gathered in a valley, but after limited resistance and heavy casualties against the caretaker government, their activities faced setbacks. The leadership and many members fled abroad; some who remained for a time in the highlands of Panjshir and Andarab were eventually eliminated by the caretaker government’s security forces, effectively ending the group’s physical presence inside Afghanistan.
*Status of Resistance Front Members:* Most members of the Resistance Front fled Afghanistan and sought asylum in countries like Iran, Turkey, Tajikistan, France, Germany, and other European states. The lower-tier members of the group live as refugees in poor economic conditions and under restrictions, whereas the leadership lives comfortably without such constraints. Due to their unfavorable status, lower-ranking members often engage in activities for other groups and organizations, including intelligence services and armed groups like ISIS, with whom they share ideological or operational commonalities. Recently, some members of the group were arrested in Iran on charges of spying for Mossad. Their affiliations and collaborations with groups like ISIS are longstanding and well documented.
*Legitimacy:* The Resistance Front’s conflict is considered a rebellion against an Islamic system, thus rendering it illegitimate (For further details, read the “Resistance Front in Light of the Holy Qur’an” series by The Voice of Hindukush). In addition to lacking religious legitimacy, the group is not popularly accepted by the public. From its inception, its slogans were limited to specific regions, its stance opposed national interests, its war narrative was flawed, and its slogans failed to represent the entire nation. Like all opposition to the caretaker government, its programs and resources are foreign-driven. Being externally directed and reliant on foreign funding undermines any claim to legitimacy.
*Nature of Warfare and Propaganda Inside Afghanistan:* Following their defeat and subsequent flight abroad, the Resistance Front attempted to undermine internal psychological security and stability to remain relevant on international platforms. To achieve this, they organized cheap guerrilla operations by recruiting individuals to carry out attacks in public places to spread fear among civilians. After using them and disseminating propaganda videos, these same individuals were exposed to security forces instead of being compensated.
Due to repeated failures, the group resorted to throwing hand grenades in flower pots, aiming solely to spread fear and produce propaganda content—causing no real damage or casualties. Eventually, with the continued efforts of security institutions, members and collaborators were arrested and brought to justice, reducing their armed resistance to nearly zero and eliminating their military capabilities altogether.
*Currently, the Resistance Front only exists in two forms on social media:* First, some commanders who rebelled in 2021 and recorded various seasonal videos in the Afghan mountains before fleeing to Iran, Turkey, or France now re-share these videos online annually. These videos are baseless and show no actual territorial control. Second, numerous anonymous accounts on platforms like Facebook and Twitter, operated by the group’s leaders and members, are used to spread false anti-government propaganda.
*Internal Divisions:* The Resistance Front was founded on internal conflicts. It is a coalition of self-serving warlords, aiming for material gains, and power, interacting solely based on personal interests. Disputes over personal gains have peaked, and schemes for eliminating one another are common. Disagreements over the distribution of foreign funds and intelligence support have caused fragmentation. Clear signs of division and disintegration surfaced months ago—such as the emergence of a new front by Amrullah Saleh and the subsequent fragmentation, the killing of key member Muhammad Samir Andarabi in Iran, and other such incidents.
*International Support and Failed Gatherings:* Undoubtedly, some intelligence agencies and countries may offer temporary support to the Resistance Front for their own geopolitical purposes. However, evaluating the group’s position and international outreach over the past four years reveals that efforts by Ahmad Massoud and his small team—including travels, political meetings, lobbying, media campaigns, and conferences—have yielded no tangible results. Countries generally support movements with clear structure, leadership, and legitimacy, all of which the Resistance Front lacks.
Internal discord, structural weakness, leadership conflicts, and poor coordination have made it impossible for the group to present a united and clear position. Their involvement in ethnic, regional, and linguistic biases further alienates them from any meaningful international engagement. Their gatherings, protests, conferences, and statements are limited to photos, news snippets, and emotional press releases—nothing more.
*The Women’s Council of the Resistance Front:* This online council occasionally issues press statements from undisclosed locations, making claims on various issues. Led by Zahra Kazemi, there is no clear information on its other members, office locations, organizational structure, or objectives!? However, this vague platform has been used to mobilize a few project-driven women from inside and outside the country to create misleading propaganda clips, challenging the current Afghan government through the media(!) activism.
It appears that this so-called Women’s Council is a fictional entity created by Ahmad Massoud’s circle to gain Western support and funding under the guise of opposing the caretaker government. For the Resistance Front, women are tools for gaining funds and political leverage rather than being genuinely concerned with their rights, safety, or well-being.
*Challenges:* 1. The Resistance Front can never succeed, as Afghanistan has not yet recovered from the damage inflicted by these very criminals, and their proxy war lacks both religious and public legitimacy. 2. Conditions and circumstances have changed since the 1990s; global policies now emphasize peaceful resolution and development, especially Western nations that the group frequently appeals to. 3. The caretaker government controls the entire country with deep-rooted influence. 4. The group’s logistical resources and support are severely limited. 5. Internal divisions and conflicts have blocked their path forward and left no space for them in today’s Afghanistan.
*Possible Future Scenario:* The Resistance Front, being a limited group, may fall victim to foreign agendas due to its reliance on external support. It conducts espionage activities abroad for others’ interests, while its focus on Afghanistan diminishes. Political isolation may cause it to lose whatever military strength it has left—just as it did in 2021. Meanwhile, the Afghan people have become more aware and are unlikely to allow such compromised groups to return to power and implement destructive plans. Furthermore, if challenges against the Resistance Front persist, it is highly possible that internal divisions, disunity, isolation, pressure, and fragmentation could lead to its collapse from within and eventual disappearance..
*Solution:* Ahmad Massoud and the groups gathered around him should abandon rebellion, opposition, war, and insecurity, and instead return to the embrace of peace, stability, and prosperity. Such efforts, as they practice now, have proven fruitless, leading neither to power nor to the fulfillment of personal interests. Embracing a peaceful life in the country is the foundation for a stable future. Thousands of high- and low-ranking officials and military personnel from the fallen republic now live peacefully within the country, and many even cooperate with the caretaker government to improve governance, ensure stability, and support reconstruction. Members of the resistance groups should reconsider their stance—it is not too late to abandon rebellion and breathe peacefully under the umbrella of security.
Note: The articles, essays, and comments published by the Voice of Hindukush only reflect the views of the authors & writers and do not necessarily represent the agreement of the Voice of Hindukush.
