Northern Alliance

After the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, the Northern Alliance fought it in a civil war, and, following the 9-11 attack, in the Afghanistan War (2001-). It was made up of three main ethnic forces, Tajiks under Ahmad Shah Massoud, Uzbeks under Abdul Rashid Dostum and Hazaras under Karim Khalili.

The U.S. first sent Central Intelligence Agency officers to work with the Alliance, which paved the way for United States Army Special Forces teams to advise the Alliance and guide assistance including air support.

Once the Taliban were driven from power, it renamed itself the United Front. It is now an opposition party to the government of Hamid Karzai, having nominated Dr. Abdullah, who uses one name, as Presidential candidate, with Homayoun Shah Wasefi and Cheragh Ali Cheragh as running mates.