Interview with Ahmad Massoud: 'We Are Present Everywhere

Ahmad Massoud, the leader of the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan, said in an exclusive interview with me for Independent Persian that after a year of military struggle against the Taliban, the Front has reassessed its strategy and now its fighters are "everywhere." Massoud said: "With the experience of the past year, which was successful and inflicted significant damage on the Taliban, we also lost many dear ones. With the invaluable experience we gained, we have reassessed our strategy in recent months and reached a strategy suitable for the current conditions and situation."

The leader of the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan refrained from providing further details about the new strategy, considering it "part of military secrets," but added that with the new plan, the Resistance Front "is not only preventing enemy aggression but also conducting better defense."

In response to the question of where the National Resistance Front stands in military and political equations after 20 months of fighting the Taliban, Ahmad Massoud said: "After 20 months of struggle and effort, the extent of resistance has reached Ghor, Badakhshan, Takhar, and Nuristan. Day by day, greater unity and cohesion are forming in anti-Taliban areas, which is a promising sign for the new year."

After the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, several political parties in exile and several military groups within Afghanistan announced their existence. Among the military fronts, only the documented conflicts of the National Resistance Front and the Afghanistan Freedom Front against the Taliban have been published. There is no confirmed documentation of the activities of other fronts claiming to fight the Taliban.

However, many questions are being raised on social media about why the National Resistance Front and the Afghanistan Freedom Front, with their commonalities, do not unite against the Taliban. After the killing of six fighters from the Afghanistan Freedom Front in a battle with the Taliban in the Salang region, the leaders of the National Resistance Front and the Afghanistan Freedom Front emphasized the need for a united struggle against the Taliban. In response to the question of whether any practical steps have been taken to unite the two fronts, Ahmad Massoud said: "From the beginning, we sent a message of unity to all anti-Taliban fronts and movements. We now clearly state that all capacities must unite and move together to guarantee victory for the people of Afghanistan."

Is the National Resistance Front alone in its struggle against the Taliban?

Ahmad Massoud, during his visit to Austria and after attending the second round of the Vienna meeting, went to the Austrian Parliament and met with several representatives of various political parties. Harald Troch, an Austrian legislator, during his meeting with Massoud, considered assistance to democratic forces and Taliban opponents in Afghanistan as an urgent necessity and said that discussions should be held with all European governments on this matter. Troch mentioned that Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, has even once spoken about military assistance to Afghanistan.

Troch quoted Emmanuel Macron as saying: “Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, said we must consider how serious assistance to Afghanistan could be. Macron said it might even involve providing weapons.”

Troch added that military assistance to opponents of the Taliban is now a political question.

Ahmad Massoud, commenting on the Austrian legislator's remarks about military assistance to Taliban opponents, quoted from the President of France, said: “This statement indicates that the global perspective on Afghanistan might change.”

According to Massoud, this is a hopeful sign that the resistance of the Afghan people will not be left alone, but such a step requires strong actions and firm decisions. However, the leader of the National Resistance Front emphasized that any assistance to the resistance forces does not change the goal and decision to fight against the Taliban but may facilitate the acceleration of steps towards achieving the goal. He added: “Our trust is in God and the people, but any assistance can be a means to reach the goal.”

"Any decision made without the presence of representatives of the Afghan people is unacceptable and illegitimate."

The United Nations is organizing a meeting on May 1 and 2 in Doha, Qatar, inviting representatives from various countries, especially from the region. Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, will also be present at this meeting. Previously, Amina Mohammed, the UN Deputy Secretary-General, had stated that discussing the recognition of the Taliban was part of the agenda of this meeting. Although UN spokespersons recently denied discussions about recognizing the Taliban, criticism of the meeting's organization is increasing.

I interviewed Ahmad Masoud in May 2023 in Vienna, Austria.

Regarding the Doha meeting, Ahmad Massoud said: “Any decision made there without the presence of representatives of the Afghan people regarding Afghanistan's fate is illegitimate, unacceptable, and incorrect.”

No political parties, civil society organizations, or anti-Taliban fronts have been invited to the Doha meeting. Stéphane Dujarric, the UN spokesperson, stated on Friday, April 27, that the Taliban has also not been invited to this meeting.

In response to the organization of this meeting, protests are planned in several cities in Europe and the United States. Protesters are demanding that the UN and world governments do not recognize the Taliban. Ahmad Massoud, in response to the question of whether he is concerned that the Doha meeting might lead to a decision to recognize the Taliban, said: “Even thinking about recognizing the Taliban is unacceptable to our people.”

Massoud added: “To Amina Mohammed and others who might be interested in the Taliban, I suggest they go to Afghanistan and live under Taliban rule for a week to understand what life under terrorism is like.”