United National Front (Afghanistan)
Encyclopedia
The Afghanistan National Front is a coalition of various political parties in Afghanistan
.
The group is as a broad coalition of former and current strongmen, commanders from the anti-Soviet resistance, ex-Communist leaders, and various social and ethnic groups.
Its leader is former President of Afghanistan
Burhanuddin Rabbani
. Many of its members were formerly part of the similarly named United Islamic Front (better known as the Northern Alliance).
Reports of when the group was founded vary. Stratfor
reported the group was founded on April 3, 2006. Ron Synovitz reported on February 6, 2008 that the group was founded in 2007.
The ANF wants to secure unity in the divided country. It wants to amend the 2003 constitution to allow political parties to stand in elections, to change the electoral system from a single non-transferable vote system to a party-list electoral system and to hold direct elections for provincial governors.
Some critics have linked the Front's formation to the calls to investigate war crimes committed during the Afghan Civil War.
Members include Mustafa Zahir (grandson of former king Mohammad Zahir Shah), ex-defense minister Mohammad Qasim Fahim, parliamentary speaker Yunus Qanuni
, Vice President Ahmad Zia Massoud
, former general Abdul Rashid Dostum
, former communist era generals, Sayed Mohammad Gulabzoy
and Nur ul-Haq Olumi, and Hezb- Islami commanders, like Qazi Amin Waqad
.
The Front's exact size is unknown, but it claims to be backed by 40% of Afghanistan's Parliament.
In February 2008 Synovitz reported that members of the United National Front suggested that charges filed against Abdul Rashid Dostum
could lead to civil war.
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
.
The group is as a broad coalition of former and current strongmen, commanders from the anti-Soviet resistance, ex-Communist leaders, and various social and ethnic groups.
Its leader is former President of Afghanistan
President of Afghanistan
Afghanistan has only been a republic between 1973 and 1992 and from 2001 onwards. Before 1973, it was a monarchy that was governed by a variety of kings, emirs or shahs...
Burhanuddin Rabbani
Burhanuddin Rabbani
Professor Burhanuddin Rabbani was President of the Islamic State of Afghanistan from 1992 to 1996. After the Taliban government was toppled during Operation Enduring Freedom, Rabbani returned to Kabul and served as a temporary President from November to December 20, 2001, when Hamid Karzai was...
. Many of its members were formerly part of the similarly named United Islamic Front (better known as the Northern Alliance).
Reports of when the group was founded vary. Stratfor
Stratfor
Strategic Forecasting, Inc., more commonly known as STRATFOR, is a global intelligence company founded in 1996 in Austin, Texas by George Friedman who is the founder, chief intelligence officer, and CEO of the company...
reported the group was founded on April 3, 2006. Ron Synovitz reported on February 6, 2008 that the group was founded in 2007.
The ANF wants to secure unity in the divided country. It wants to amend the 2003 constitution to allow political parties to stand in elections, to change the electoral system from a single non-transferable vote system to a party-list electoral system and to hold direct elections for provincial governors.
Some critics have linked the Front's formation to the calls to investigate war crimes committed during the Afghan Civil War.
Members include Mustafa Zahir (grandson of former king Mohammad Zahir Shah), ex-defense minister Mohammad Qasim Fahim, parliamentary speaker Yunus Qanuni
Yunus Qanuni
Yunus Qanuni is a politician in Afghanistan. An ethnic Tajik from the Panjshir Valley in Afghanistan, Qanuni is the leader of the Afghanistan e Naween political party and former Speaker of the House of the People .-Pre Election...
, Vice President Ahmad Zia Massoud
Ahmad Zia Massoud
Ahmad Zia Massoud was the First Vice President of Afghanistan in the first elected administration of President Hamid Karzai, from December 2004 to November 2009...
, former general Abdul Rashid Dostum
Abdul Rashid Dostum
Abdul Rashid Dostum is a former pro-Soviet fighter during the Soviet war in Afghanistan and is considered by many to be the leader of Afghanistan's Uzbek community and the party Junbish-e Milli-yi Islami-yi Afghanistan...
, former communist era generals, Sayed Mohammad Gulabzoy
Sayed Mohammad Gulabzoy
Major General Sayed Muhammad Gulabzoi is an Afghan politician.An ethnic Pashtun from the Zadran tribe, Gulabzoy was born in Paktia Province. An Air Force mechanic by training, he studied at the Air Force college...
and Nur ul-Haq Olumi, and Hezb- Islami commanders, like Qazi Amin Waqad
Qazi Amin Waqad
Qazi Muhammad Amin Waqad is an Afghan politician who has held a variety of political and military offices.An ethnic Mohmand Pashtun from Nangrahar Province, Qazi Amin attended a madrasah in Pakistan, before graduating at the Islamic Law Faculty of Kabul University. While at university, he became an...
.
The Front's exact size is unknown, but it claims to be backed by 40% of Afghanistan's Parliament.
In February 2008 Synovitz reported that members of the United National Front suggested that charges filed against Abdul Rashid Dostum
Abdul Rashid Dostum
Abdul Rashid Dostum is a former pro-Soviet fighter during the Soviet war in Afghanistan and is considered by many to be the leader of Afghanistan's Uzbek community and the party Junbish-e Milli-yi Islami-yi Afghanistan...
could lead to civil war.