Afghan Political leaders marked the 24th anniversary of the assassination of Ahmad Shah Massoud with a virtual memorial on Tuesday, warning that divisions among Taliban opponents risk weakening resistance against the group.
Ahmad Massoud, leader of the National Resistance Front and son of the late commander, said political infighting only benefits the Taliban.
“The enemy succeeds when opposition groups become preoccupied with fighting one another,” he said. Massoud stressed the importance of a “battle of narratives” against the Taliban, accusing the group of trying to undermine the resistance by fuelling internal rifts.
“We are bound to fight for freedom and we do not accept defeat or surrender,” he said, adding: “No tyranny lasts forever, and the Taliban’s brutality will also come to an end.”
Marshal Abdul Rashid Dostum, leader of the National Islamic Movement of Afghanistan, said in a message: “To die in bed is a disgrace for me.” He vowed to see the Taliban regime overthrown, saying tyranny is short-lived and would eventually bow to the will of the people.
Mohammad Mohaqiq, leader of the People’s Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan, also criticised the lack of unity among Taliban opponents, urging political factions to accept one another.
Former Vice President Sarwar Danish called for a sustainable solution to Afghanistan’s crisis. He warned that without serious reflection on the future, the post-Taliban era could mirror the chaos that followed the Mujahideen victory and the 2001 Bonn Conference.
Mohammad Omar Daudzai, a former interior minister, said the stature and legitimacy of Ahmad Shah Massoud had only grown stronger with time. He also criticised Taliban activists’ behaviour on social media, accusing them of insulting opponents with harsh language that defies Afghan cultural norms.
