Ahmad Shah Massoud, who was once a member of the group of the Mujahideen combat against the Soviets, quickly managed – through establishing relations with the Soviets and other foreign countries, and through direct and indirect cooperation with them – to gain some fame and gather a circle of supporters around himself with the help of foreign intelligence agencies and networks. At the height of fierce battles and resistance with the Soviets, he, along with his followers, reached an agreement with the Soviets regarding the Salang route in northern Kabul and Panjshir, promising that under his leadership no attacks would be carried out against Soviet forces there. He even pledged to prevent other Mujahideen groups from carrying out such attacks.
In exchange, the Soviets granted Massoud and his followers certain privileges, which further strengthened their relationship. The Soviets could freely move about in Panjshir without fear. Massoud also blocked all forms of attacks against the Soviets in northern Kabul, Parwan, the Salangs, and Jabal Saraj. Several times, he even fought against other Mujahideen in Qara Bagh, Kalakan, Istalif, and the Salangs when they attempted ambushes against the Soviets.
Besides Russia, Massoud maintained close relations with Tajikistan, Iran, Pakistan, France, Britain, and U.S. intelligence agencies. These foreign backers invested heavily in him and his followers. This support allowed Massoud and his followers to act with impunity. He created a military council known as “Shura-ye Nazar” and became a key figure in Jamiat-e Islami. With massive funds, abundant weapons, and external backing, Massoud and his followers became a dominant party in the Afghan civil war. Consequently, they took the lives of thousands of innocent Afghans, tortured and imprisoned many, and countless others remain missing to this day.
The crimes of Massoud and his supporters are many, but notable among them is the Afshar massacre in Kabul, where thousands of Hazara civilians were slaughtered in a single day. They also killed Hindus, looted their properties and lands, and in Makroyan, Kabul, committed mass rapes, robbed homes, and murdered residents. After Massoud was eliminated, his followers resorted to even more horrific acts. During the first era of Islamic Emirate, they killed prisoners of war, tortured them, and even pulled out their fingernails. In exchange for foreign aid, they auctioned off Panjshir’s valuable mines to foreigners, who then exploited them freely without fear.
Later, when the U.S.-led coalition invaded and occupied Afghanistan, Massoud’s followers were the first to run to their side, welcoming the occupation. Backed by direct foreign military support, they entered Kabul, where they looted extensively, killed and tortured civilians, and unleashed a long period of oppression and chaos. This time they were emboldened, knowing the U.S.-led global forces stood behind them, granting them free rein to commit any crime and were defending them.
During the twenty years of occupation, Massoud’s followers tried to impose the title of “National Hero” upon him. Afterward, his family used this title to secure vast funds and donations under his name. They established foundations in his honor but carried out massive crimes, land grabs, and forced evictions of people. The U.S., during the occupation, handed over much of the puppet government’s power to Massoud’s supporters, filling the security institutions with his allies. This gave them unchecked power, under which they slaughtered tens of thousands of innocents, tortured many in prisons, and committed horrific atrocities.
Within the framework of the twenty-year occupation, Massoud’s supporters also pushed for the spread of Western-style democracy in Afghanistan, actively working to erase Islamic and local values. They promoted alcohol, gambling, land grabs, killings, kidnappings, and warlordism. These corrupt practices became widespread, enabling them to enrich themselves. They even turned “Massoud Day” (September 9/18th of Sunbula) into an official holiday, during which chaos engulfed Kabul and other cities—shops were looted in broad daylight, robberies occurred, and innocent civilians were shot dead in the streets. Beyond this, Massoud’s followers committed so many financial and moral corruptions inside and outside Afghanistan that history rarely provides a parallel.
Today, in their absence, Afghanistan and Afghans breathe easier with complete security. Life has returned to a more natural state; no one can seize another’s land, kidnap people, extort them, or drag them by force into prisons and torture chambers. Massoud’s supporters and followers are now residing in Western countries, and every day they attempt to bring back the days of chaos and turmoil in Afghanistan. However, this time the people will not allow it, nor will they be given any opportunity to set foot in the country to revive and reestablish that era.
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