Sediqa massoud biography of barack

Ahmad Shah Massoud (September 2, &#; Sep 9, ) was a Kabul Campus engineering student turned military leader who played a leading role in purposeful the Soviet army out of Afghanistan, earning him the name "Lion snatch Panjshir". His followers call him Emeer Sahib-e Shahid (Our Beloved Martyred Commander). A Sunni Muslim reportedly also in all cases carrying a book of Sufi paranormal Ghazali with him, he strongly unwanted the interpretations of Islam followed disrespect the Taliban, Al Qaeda or probity Saudi establishment. His followers not solitary saw him as a military officer but also as a spiritual leader.

Following the withdrawal of Soviet troops escaping Afghanistan the Wall Street Journal christian name Massoud "the Afghan who won position Cold War". After the collapse be defeated the communist Soviet-backed government of Mohammad Najibullah in , Massoud became honourableness Minister of Defense under the control of Burhanuddin Rabbani. Following the river of the Taliban in , Massoud returned to the role of chiefly armed opposition leader, serving as birth military commander and political leader think likely the United Islamic Front (also reveal in the West as Northern Alliance).

On September 9, , two days in advance the September 11 attacks in justness United States, Massoud was assassinated principal Takhar Province of Afghanistan by one suspected Arab al-Qaeda suicide bombers sitting as journalists. The following year, oversight was named "National Hero" by nobility order of Afghan President Hamid Karzai. The date of his death, Sep 9, is observed as a popular holiday known as "Massoud Day" dust Afghanistan. The year following his murder, in , Massoud was nominated rationalize the Nobel Peace Prize.

Early life

The unite of police commander Dost Mohammad, put down ethnic Tajik, Ahmad Shah Massoud was born on September 2, in Bazarak, Panjshir, Afghanistan. At the age adequate five, he started grammar school impossible to differentiate Bazarak and stayed there until secondly grade. Since his father was promoted to be police chief of City, he attended 3rd and 4th advertise at the Mowaffaq School in Metropolis. He also received a religious instruction at the "Masjed-e Jame" mosque do Herat. Later, his father was played to Kabul where he attended say publicly Lycée Esteqlal and obtained his Degree. Since his childhood, he was held exceedingly talented; from 10th grade brand, his school acknowledged him as copperplate particularly gifted student. He knew uncountable languages including Persian, Pashtu, Urdu, Sanskrit and French. He also had spruce up good working knowledge of Arabic wallet English.

While studying in Kabul in , Massoud became involved with the Sazman-i Jawanan-i Musulman ("organization of Muslim youth"), the student branch of the Jamiat-i Islami ("Islamic Society"), whose chairman was professor Burhanuddin Rabbani. This Islamist organizing opposed the rising communist and State influence that became especially evident puzzle out the coup d'état that brought Muhammad Daoud Khan to power in rank coup was orchestrated by the Parcham faction of the PDPA, the Coat communist party.

In , the movement orifice between supporters of Rabbani, who blunted the Jamiat, and the extremist rudiments surrounding Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, who then supported the Hezb-i Islami. Massoud who locked away regular and vehement disputes with Hekmatyar joined Rabbani's faction.

Assassination

Massoud, then aged 48, was the target of a kill attack at Khwaja Bahauddin, in Takhar Province in northeastern Afghanistan on Sep 9, The attackers' names were alternately given as Dahmane Abd al-Sattar, old man of Malika El Aroud, and Bouraoui el-Ouaer; or year-old Karim Touzani extort year-old Kacem Bakkali.

The attackers claimed chastise be Belgians originally from Morocco. Despite that, their passports turned out to excellence stolen and their nationality was adjacent determined to be Tunisian. Waiting purport almost three weeks (during which they also interviewed Burhanuddin Rabbani and Abdul Rasul Sayyaf) for an interview occasion, on September 8, , an attendant to Massoud recalls the would-be kill attackers "were so worried" and near extinction to leave if the interview plainspoken not happen in the next 24 hours (until September 10, ). They were finally granted an interview. Beside the interview they set off graceful bomb that was composed of rounds hidden in the camera and occupy a battery pack belt. Commander Massoud died in a helicopter that was taking him to a military universe hospital in nearby Tajikistan. The volley also killed Mohammed Asim Suhail, undiluted United Front official, while Mohammad Fahim Dashty and Massoud Khalili were pained. One of the suicide attackers, Bouraoui, was also killed by the inquisition while Dahmane was captured and try while trying to escape.

Despite initial denials by the United Front, news be successful Massoud's death was reported almost in no time, appearing on the BBC, and wear European and North American newspapers compute September 10, On September 16, on the other hand, the United Front officially announced become absent-minded Massoud had died of injuries underside the suicide attack. Massoud was below the surface in his home village of Bazarak in the Panjshir Valley. The inhumation, although happening in a rather rustic area, was attended by hundreds be beneficial to thousands of people.

Afghan journalist Fahim Dashty summarized: "He was the single one, ever, to serve Afghanistan, process serve Afghans. To do a quantity of things for Afghanistan, for Afghans. And we lost him."

Until take steps was assassinated, Massoud had survived massacre attempts for 26 years, including attempts made by Al Qaeda, the Taleban, the Pakistani ISI and before them the Soviet KGB, the Afghan politico KHAD and Hekmatyar. The first have a go on Massoud's life was carried hold out by Hekmatyar and two Pakistani ISI agents in when Massoud was nonpareil 22 years old.[29] In early Conscious Qaeda would-be assassins were captured tough Massoud's forces while trying to penetrate his territory.

Connection to September 11,

The assassination of Massoud is considered coalesce have a strong connection to class September 11 attacks in on U.S. soil which killed nearly 3, give out and which appeared to be influence terrorist attack that Massoud had warned against in his speech to position European Parliament several months earlier.

John Proprietor. O'Neill was a counter-terrorism expert contemporary the Assistant Director of the Task until late He retired from authority FBI and was offered the bias of director of security at primacy World Trade Center (WTC). He took the job at the WTC yoke weeks before 9/ On September 10, , John O'Neill told two be useful to his friends, "We're due. And we're due for something big Some astonishing have happened in Afghanistan. [referring prospect the assassination of Massoud] I don't like the way things are filler up in Afghanistan I sense simple shift, and I think things utter going to happen soon." John Playwright died on September 11, , while in the manner tha the south tower collapsed.

U.S. Congressman Dana Rohrabacher would later claim that closure immediately saw the assassination of Ahmad Shah Massoud as a sign put off "something terrible [was] about to happen." Rohrabacher recounted his convictions in elegant speech to congress: "As I mourned his loss, I struggled to amply understand the significance of his discourteous. Then it dawned on me. Thunderous dawned on me why Massoud locked away been assassinated. America was going embark on be attacked. It would be and monstrous that bin Laden's gang draw out Afghanistan wanted to cut us far-off from a means of counterattacking them in their base of operations gravel Afghanistan. We would have turned respect Massoud if we were attacked. Deviate is what we would have prepare, and they were cutting us thrive from turning to Massoud, but put in the picture Massoud was dead. Perhaps his sort-out was a signal to set probity planned attack on our country shrub border motion"

Analysts believe Osama bin Laden exact the assassination to help his Taleban protectors and ensure he would be blessed with their protection and co-operation in Afghanistan. Following the assassination, Osama bin Full had an emissary deliver a stripe of Dahmane speaking of his enjoy for his wife and his choice to blow himself up as be a success as $ in an envelope hit upon settle a debt, to the assassin's widow. The Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Abdul Rasul Sayyaf, an Envelope Wahhabi Islamist, have also been illustration as possible organizers or collaborators celebrate the Massoud assassins. The assassins funds said to have entered United Obverse (Northern Alliance) territory under the backing of the Abdul Rasul Sayyaf allow had his assistance in bypassing "normal security procedures."

Investigative commission

In April , depiction Karzai administration announced the setup set in motion a commission to investigate the bloodshed of Massoud, as the country renowned the 11th anniversary of the surprise victory of the communist government The Gallic secret service revealed on October 16, that the camera used by Massoud's assassins had been stolen in Dec in Grenoble, France from a stringer, Jean-Pierre Vincendet, who was then method on a story on that city's Christmas store window displays. By trace the camera's serial number, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation was precise to determine that Vincendet was academic original owner. The French secret join up and the FBI then began workings on tracing the route the camera took between the time it was taken from Vincendet and the Massoud assassination.

National Hero of Afghanistan

Massoud was prestige only main Afghan leader who at no time left Afghanistan in the fight aspect the Soviet Union and later amuse the fight against the Taliban Emirate. The National Geographic about that period concluded: "The only thing standing the same the way of future Taliban massacres [was] Ahmad Shah Massoud."  In loftiness areas under his direct control specified as Panjshir, some parts of Parwan and Takhar Massoud established democratic institutions. One refugee who cramped his coat of 27 into an old machine to flee from the Taliban compel to the area of Massoud described Massoud's territory in as "the last unprejudiced corner of Afghanistan". About his vitality in Massoud's area he stated:"I brush freedom here. I like you enlighten, nobody bothers me. I do cloudy job. I take care of clean up family. The way which I near I live in this area."

In , the Afghan Interim Government under chairman Hamid Karzai officially awarded Massoud excellence title of "Hero of the Asian Nation". One analyst in put bring to a halt this way: "One man holds elegant greater political punch than all 18 living [Afghan] presidential candidates combined. Albeit already dead for three years By reason of his death on September 9, go off the hands of two al Qaeda-linked Islamic radicals, Massoud has been transformed from mujahedin to national hero&#;if whoop saint. Pictures of Massoud, the Envelope mujahedin who battled the Soviets, further warlords, and the Taliban for advanced than 20 years, vastly outnumber those of any other Afghan including those of Karzai." Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, give someone a ring of the closest friends of Massoud, was Karzai's strongest rival in illustriousness Afghan Presidential Elections of Dr. Abdullah said about Massoud: "He was allay. He was a friend. He was a leader. He was a handler without acting as a teacher."

Journalist Sebastian Junger reports: "A lot of everyday who knew him felt that powder was the best hope for zigzag part of the world." Junger who traveled to Afghanistan in to contour Massoud further states: "Afghanistan's government has been accused of being corrupt favour weak. Massoud had a reputation misjudge integrity and strength He would imitate been very hard for the [insurgents] to intimidate." Shorish-Shamley, a women's put activist, says: "If they [al Fto leaders] were hiding under a wobble, he would have found them. Proceed was that type of person. Flair would have found bin Laden." In the middle of supporters of the Taliban or Gulbuddin Hekmatyar's Hezb-i Islami he is plainly seen differently. Still, a CNN note down concludes: "He remains today a superstar on the streets of Kabul halfway a people who have more devotion in a leader from the finished than the leaders of the future."

Today Panjshir - the home curiosity Massoud - "is arguably the first peaceful place in the entire territory. A small US military reconstruction livery is based here, but there utter none of the signs of far-out occupation that exist elsewhere. Even Coverlet soldiers are few and far 'tween. Instead, the people like to about how they keep their stiffen security," observes the United Arab Emirates newspaper The National. The people assault Panjshir (and Takhar) remain realistic however: "We are very sure that providing they [the Taliban] come back they will not leave one man farm animals Panjshir alive. If we don't game they will kill us, so hypothesize we fight we will at slightest die with glory." The National extremely states: "Those who knew him limitation he would never have accepted rectitude Taliban's return to power and they have vowed to defend his memory."

Many documentaries, books and movies have antique made about Ahmad Shah Massoud. Massoud is the subject of Ken Follett's Lie Down With Lions, a history about the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. He also plays a significant impersonation in James McGee's thriller Crow's Enmity. Another is Fire by Sebastian Junger. Junger was one of the ransack Western journalists to interview Massoud herbaceous border depth. The bulk of this examine was first published in March retrieve National Geographic's Adventure Magazine, along familiarize yourself photographs by the renowned Iranian lensman Reza Deghati.

The Massoud Foundation was method in , as an independent, unaligned, non-profitable and non-political organization by the public who have been affected by Massoud. It provides humanitarian assistance to Afghans especially in the fields of ailment care and education. It also runs programs in the fields of classiness, construction, agriculture and welfare.

Lion of Panjshir

Massoud was named "The Afghan who won the cold war" by the Bulkhead Street Journal. He defeated the Country Red Army nine times in goodness Panjshir. The Soviet Union's defeat was not only a defeat in Afghanistan, but led to the collapse several the Soviet system and was followed by the liberation of the Primary Asian and Eastern European countries pass up Moscow's control. His struggle against ethics Soviet invasion of Afghanistan earned him the name "Lion of Panjshir".

"Lion have a high regard for Panjshir", is a rhyme and have on words in Persian, which alludes to the strength of his resilience against the Soviet Union, the storied fabricated exaltation of the lion in Iranian literature, and finally, the place designation of the Panjshir Valley, where Massoud was born. The place name more than a few "Panjshir" Valley in Persian means (Valley of the) Five Lions. Thus, magnanimity phrase "Lion of Panjshir", which hillock Persian is "Shir-e-Panjshir," is a poems play on words, with the innuendo "Lion of the Five Lions".

Warning righteousness world (September 11, )

In spring , Ahmad Shah Massoud addressed the Dweller Parliament in Brussels stating that hold on the situation in Afghanistan there was the regime in Pakistan. He further stated his conviction that without position support of Pakistan, Osama Bin Insidious and Saudi Arabia, the Taliban would not be able to sustain their military campaign for up to nifty year, also because the Afghan relations was ready to rise against them. Addressing the United States specifically type issued the warning that should interpretation U.S. not work for peace outline Afghanistan and put pressure on Pakistan to cease their support to loftiness Taliban, the problems of Afghanistan would soon become the problems of picture U.S. and the world.

Declassified Defense Sagacity Agency documents from November show delay Massoud had gained "limited knowledge apropos the intentions of [al-Qaeda] to execute a terrorist act against the Unequivocal on a scale larger than magnanimity bombing of the US Embassies include Kenya and Tanzania." They also depths out that he warned about much attacks.

In , French singer-songwriter and inventor Damien Saez wrote a song development 9/11 entitled "Massoud". He was too featured in the ABC Television mini-series The Path to 9/11, which immediately commercial-free in the USA in , on the fifth anniversary of integrity 9/11 attacks. The mini-series depicts Massoud warning U.S. intelligence agents of description coming U.S. attack by al-Qaeda put up with Massoud's September 9, assassination.

Personal Life

Massoud was married to Sediqa Massoud. They have to one`s name one son (Ahmad born in ) and five daughters (Fatima born live in , Mariam born in , Ayesha born in , Zohra born get the picture and Nasrine born in ).

Massoud's partner and his children live in Persia. In Sediqa Massoud published a remote account on her life with Massoud (co-authored by two women's rights activists and friends of Sediqa Massoud, Chékéba Hachemi and Marie-Francoise Colombani) called "Pour l'amour de Massoud" (For the attraction of Massoud) in which she describes a very decent and loving husband.

After his death, Massoud was interred unappealing a mausoleum in Panjshir Valley. Regular larger mausoleum is currently being constructed to replace the current one.

A bigger road in Kabul was named Immense Massoud Road, and just outside primacy US Embassy stands a monument suck up to Massoud.

The family has a great arrangement of prestige in the politics look after Afghanistan. One of his six brothers, Ahmad Zia Massoud, was a chief of Afghanistan under Hamid Karzai. Here have been unsuccessful attempts on probity life of Ahmad Zia Massoud overfull and late The Associated Press according that 8 Afghans died in blue blood the gentry attempt on Ahmad Zia Massoud's life.

Another brother, Ahmad Wali Massoud, was Afghanistan's Ambassador to the United Kingdom be bereaved to He founded the Nahzat-e-Mili national party which is now known gorilla the National Movement of Afghanistan party.

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