Ahmad Shah Massoud during the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan.
Ahmad Shah Massoud (born September 2, 1953) was an Afghan political and military leader. He was a powerful military commander during the resistance against the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan and the Soviet occupation between 1979 and 1993 and in the following years of civil war, during which time he became known as the Lion of Panjshir.
When World War III broke out, the Soviet invasion became a part of the Middle East theatre. Soviet and DRA forces fought against the various Mujahideen forces. Massoud took part in several of these operations. Eventually, the Soviet Union withdrew its forces 1993 when Mikhail Gorbachev was reinstated as the President of the USSR; one of his orders was to withdraw all Soviet forces back the Motherland.
Without the support of the USSR, the DRA soon collapsed as Mujahideen forces marched into Kabul. Before this, several major cities fell to the Mujahideen. Later, the mujahideen factions would unite as the Afghan Coalition Government, an interim administration while Afghanistan rebuilds from the civil war. Massoud was chosen by the differing factions as interim Prime Minister. Unfortunately, a new enemy was on the rise: the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. While fighting together alongside Massoud's forces, they were soon radicalized after the war. The presence of Soviet stragglers and DRA loyalists still roaming the countryside posed a challenge to the ACG. Soon after, the World Revolution Army rose and then joined the skirmishes of Afghanistan. Once again, the country was at war and Massuod's ACG military fought a three way insurgency between the Taliban, Al-Qaeda and the WRA (which was backed by Soviet stragglers and the DRA loyalists). Massoud was supported by the Chinese Federated Union, Russia, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. His government also received covert aid from the West, particularly the USA and the UK.
In 2004, the Republic of Afghanistan was established. In democratic elections, Massoud was elected as President before ending his term in 2010. Massoud continues to be an iconic figure to this day in Afghanistan.