Ahmad Shah Massoud

Ahmad Shah Massoud (-2001) was an Afghan Takik leader, commanding the forces of the Northern Alliance, who was assassinated, on 9/9/2001, by al-Qaeda. He was an extremey effective and charismatic commander, known as the "Lion of Panjsher", a name given to him for his successes as a military commander during the war against the Soviet occupation.

His forces were the first troops to enter Kabul after the Soviets levft, and he became Defense Minister in the government of President Burhanuddin Rabbani, protecting it from his rival, Gulbuddin Hekmatkar.

When Pakistani Inter-Service Intelligence backed the Taliban, they forced Massoud and his allies into the north. His name was the most common battle cry for the anti-Taliban forces.

Once the Taliban were forced out, the Afghan Interim Government under president Hamid Karzai awarded Masood the title of "Hero of the Afghan Nation".