Three major political movements opposed to the Taliban said on Tuesday they had formed a unified front for the first time, calling for UN-backed intra-Afghan talks, a new constitution and a political roadmap to end the country’s prolonged crisis.
The National Resistance Council for the Salvation of Afghanistan, the National Movement for Peace and Justice, and the National Assembly for Salvation announced the joint position in an online meeting attended by prominent political leaders, including Ahmad Massoud, the leader of the National Resistance Front; Atta Mohammad Noor, Yunus Qanuni, Haneef Atmar, Mohammad Mohaqiq and Abdul Rashid Dostum.
In a joint statement, the groups said they had reached “a collective political voice” and agreed on coordinated action to push for an inclusive political settlement.
Their statement did not include military resistance against the Taliban. Although, some figures, including Salahuddin Rabbani, were absent. Moreover, other figures, including Ahmad Massoud, joined the event at the end.
They expressed support for the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2721 and the recommendations of the UN Independent Assessment on Afghanistan, saying both provide a viable framework for launching intra-Afghan dialogue.
The movements called for drafting a new constitution, creating conditions for future national and local elections, and ensuring the guaranteed participation of women and youth in any political arrangement.
“The political crisis in Afghanistan must be resolved through inclusive negotiations with international guarantees from the UN Security Council, regional countries and the wider international community,” the joint statement said. It added that any eventual political deal should include a clear, enforceable roadmap and be implemented under international monitoring.
Dostum, leader of the Junbish party, said he was “hopeful again for Afghanistan’s rescue,” stressing that a political solution must be driven by national consensus rather than conflict.
The groups warned against Afghanistan becoming a battleground or a site of forced displacement, discrimination and rights violations. They urged an end to restrictions on women’s work, movement and education, as well as to arbitrary detentions, land seizures and opaque mining sales.
They also called for increased humanitarian aid and demanded that bans on women working for relief organisations be lifted “immediately.” Humanitarian assistance, they said, should resume under the oversight of an “impartial committee.”
Opposition figures cautioned that if the current crisis is not resolved through dialogue, the situation “will carry serious consequences for the Taliban.”
