Review of Afghanistan developments
In the aftermath of the republic’s downfall, Anti-Taliban Leaders commenced political and military initiatives against the Taliban administration by creating councils, political parties, and military fronts beyond Afghanistan’s borders. Among the key organizations established are the “National Resistance Council for the Salvation of Afghanistan,” which includes influential members such as Atta Mohammad Noor, Abdul Rashid Dostum, Mohammad Mohaqiq, and Abdul Rab Rasool Sayyaf. Other notable groups include the “National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRF),” led by Ahmad Massoud, the “Afghanistan Freedom Front(AFF),” under Yasin Zia’s leadership, the “Afghanistan National Movement for Peace and Justice,” guided by Hanif Atmar and Masoom Stanekzai, and the “Afghanistan Justice and Freedom Party,” led by Sarwar Danish.
Anti-Taliban Leaders, who lead these five separate movements, have generally established two contrasting policies. The “National Resistance Council for the Salvation of Afghanistan,” based in Turkey, believes that engaging in negotiations and dialogue with the Taliban government is more favorable than pursuing a military solution. Similarly, the “Afghanistan National Movement for Peace and Justice,” or Hanif Atmar Movement, has made it clear that war is not the answer and aims to implement the Doha Agreement to initiate discussions with the Taliban government under the oversight of the United States. On the other hand, the ” National Resistance Front of Afghanistan ” and the “Freedom Front” advocate for a military solution, as their names suggest.
The Fundamental Causes of Conflicts among Anti-Taliban Leaders
Disputes among the Anti-Taliban Leaders have been ongoing for three and a half years, and these disputes can be generally divided into two primary segments.
War and Negotiation
One notable distinction, as previously indicated, revolves around the strategies for addressing the Taliban government. Certain factions support the notion of waging war to overcome the Taliban, while others, primarily those with experience in Afghanistan, they either advocate for negotiation and dialogue as a primary approach or maintain that it is the singular answer to the Afghanistan dilemma. It can be inferred that the key obstacle to fostering unity among these differing factions is this very divergence in perspective.
Ethnic, geographical and linguistic issues
An important dimension of the differences among the Anti-Taliban Leaders, which remains unspoken yet but is deeply entrenched in Afghanistan’s history, relates to ethnic, geographical, and linguistic issues. A closer examination of the organizational structures of the four main groups highlights the rationale behind their formation. The “High Council of National Resistance for the Salvation of Afghanistan” is largely composed of Tajik, Uzbek, and Hazara members. The “National Resistance Front of Afghanistan” and the “Freedom Front” are primarily Tajik-focused, while the “National Peace and Justice Movement” is centered on Pashtun representation, and the “Justice and Development Party” is predominantly Hazara. Although there are some representatives from other ethnicities within these organizations, their influence is so limited that it can be overlooked.
Selfishness and denial of others
The Anti-Taliban Leaders, who are at the forefront of this organizations, have not only failed to establish unity and collaboration but also regard their organization as the central and sole means of rescuing Afghanistan, often dismissing other groups. Such assertions have become increasingly apparent in recent weeks, particularly during the two Vienna Conference and the Herat Security Conference. After the Vienna Conference, Ahmad Massoud, the head of the “National Resistance Front of Afghanistan,” remarked that in light of the Doha process’s failure, the Vienna process is the only initiative that has garnered the trust and attention of the Afghan populace, positioning it as a viable platform for achieving enduring peace in Afghanistan.
On a different note, the critical comments from Atta Mohammad Noor, a member of the “High Council of National Resistance for the Salvation of Afghanistan,” directed at individuals and groups advocating for military action during the Vienna Conference and the Herat security conference, revealed the extent of the existing disagreements. In an online meeting held in remembrance of Khair Mohammad Khairkhwa and his associates who died in their fight against the Taliban, he expressed, “Those who promote war and claim that the only resolution for Afghanistan lies in conflict, why should it be solely the children of the underprivileged who are compelled to spill blood and fight? You and your children should take up arms on the front lines. Only then will such commands be justified.”
Differences of opinion surface at the Vienna Conference
During the Vienna Conference, it became evident that ethnic differences among the Anti-Taliban Leaders were a prominent issue. The focus of the meeting, which revolved around the “National Resistance Front of Afghanistan,” was largely Tajik-centric, with only a limited number of Pashtun representatives willing to participate. this year’s Conference of Vienna Process, notable Pashtun figures who had attended in the past were conspicuously absent. The attendance of Yasin Zia, the leader of the “Freedom Front,” further tilted the balance towards Tajik representation. The reactions from certain Pashtun leaders following the Conference indicate that the ethnic tensions between Pashtuns and Tajiks have intensified within the context of this year’s Vienna Process, suggesting that without significant alterations to the agenda, prominent Pashtun figures are unlikely to engage in future meetings.
