After the Taliban took back control of Afghanistan, the National Resistance Front rose up to defy them. We spoke with their leader Ahmad Massoud, who has overseen hundreds of military and intelligence-gathering operations. He’s following the footsteps of his father, who led his own resistance group, the Northern Alliance, until members of Al Qaeda assassinated him two days before they conducted the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Fast forward to the mid-2000s, International Spy Museum executive director Chris Costa, then a human intelligence officer, worked with that group to develop intel on the Taliban and Al Qaeda.

Now, in the wake of the U.S. withdrawal and Afghanistan’s collapse, Costa says the U.S. is losing an opportunity to support Massoud and the National Resistance Front.

If you liked this episode, check out these links:

Spy Chat with Chris Costa | Guest: Ali Maisam Nazary

Spy Chat with Chris Costa | Guest: Christine Abizaid

Subscribe to Sasha's Substack, HUMINT, to get more intelligence stories: https://sashaingber.substack.com/

And if you have feedback or want to hear about a particular topic, you can reach us by E-mail at SpyCast@Spymuseum.org.

This show is brought to you from Goat Rodeo, Airwave, and the International Spy Museum in Washington, DC.

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Eyes on The Ground: The National Resistance Front in Afghanistan 31:25 Share

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Eyes on The Ground: The National Resistance Front in Afghanistan