Ahmad Massoud

About

Politician most notable for founding and leading the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan, which is the only regimented opposition to the Taliban nationwide. Also known as the Second Resistance, he formed the NRF after having adopted his predecessor and father's objective to create a more balanced, successful state by regionalizing government, and dispersing power and resources more effectively. Despite the majority population's surrender to Taliban forces during its 2021 onslaught, he, along with Amrullah Saleh, publicly rejected its rule, declaring women's rights and the elimination of public executions as just a few of his many reasons for doing so. 

Before Fame

He earned an undergraduate degree in war studies as well as a bachelor's degree from King's College London before going on to continue his education at the University of London, from which he graduated with a master's degree in international politics. After completing his education, he was named CEO of the Massoud Foundation.

Trivia

His father, Ahmad Shah Massoud, was often referred to as the "Lion of Panjshir," in honor of his extraordinarily effective resistance against Soviet takeover of the Panjshir Valley during the Soviet-Afghan War of the 1970s and '80s. As a result, since it was officially announced in 2019 that he would be his father's successor, Ahmad has been frequently referred to as "The Young Lion of Panjshir."  

Family Life

He is the son of Ahmad Shah Massoud and Sediqa Massoud. He has five younger sisters. 

Associated With

At the 14th annual Aspen Security Forum, he participated in a virtual discussion with journalist Fareed Zakaria on the great power conflict and its impact. The discourse streamed live on The Aspen Institute's YouTube channel July 20th, 2023.