
On 26 September 1996, facing a significant offensive by the Taliban, who were backed militarily by Pakistan and financially by Saudi Arabia, Ahmad Shah Massoud ordered a strategic withdrawal from Kabul. The Taliban captured the city the following day, establishing the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and imposing their strict interpretation of Islamic law, which included severe restrictions on the rights of women and girls.
In response to the Taliban's takeover, Ahmad Shah Massoud and Abdul Rashid Dostum, once adversaries, united to form the United Front (Northern Alliance) to resist the Taliban's expansion. This coalition brought together Massoud's Tajik forces, Dostum's Uzbeks, along with Hazara factions and Pashtun forces led by various commanders, controlling about 30% of Afghanistan's population in key northern provinces.
By early 2001, Massoud had adopted a dual approach of exerting military pressure locally while seeking international support for their cause, advocating for "popular consensus, general elections and democracy." Aware of the shortcomings of the early 1990s Kabul government, he initiated police training aimed at protecting civilians, anticipating a successful overthrow of the Taliban.
Massoud's international efforts included addressing the European Parliament in Brussels, where he requested humanitarian assistance for Afghans and criticized the Taliban and Al Qaeda for their distortion of Islam. He argued that the Taliban's military campaign was unsustainable without Pakistani support, highlighting the complex regional dynamics affecting Afghanistan's stability.