RASC News Agency: Yasin Zia, leader of the Afghanistan Freedom Front, revealed that witnessing the Taliban’s brutal treatment of a woman was the defining moment that compelled him to join the National Resistance Front under the leadership of Ahmad Shah Massoud, Afghanistan’s national hero. Speaking at the Fifth Vienna Conference for a Democratic Afghanistan on Sunday, February 16, Zia recounted his early involvement in the resistance during his youth. “Even today, I can still feel the weight of my weapon on my shoulder,” he remarked, underscoring his enduring commitment to the cause.
He recalled a pivotal moment from the first Taliban regime:
“When news broke of Dr. Najibullah’s execution, I went out to witness the events unfolding. Along the way, I saw the Taliban mercilessly whipping a woman. The sheer brutality of the scene enraged me. I wanted to intervene, but people urged me to hold back. The next day, I picked up a rifle and joined the resistance.” A video recording of Zia’s speech at the Vienna conference, obtained by RASC, shows him expressing his deep sorrow over Dr. Najibullah’s assassination. His remarks came during a session where Ahmad Massoud, leader of the National Resistance Front, also addressed the gathering.
Massoud reaffirmed that the NRF’s vision transcends any individual, group, or political faction it is a comprehensive strategy for all of Afghanistan. “Our program is not designed for any particular person, party, or ethnicity it is for the entire country,” he declared in his speech on Tuesday, February 18. He further emphasized that the resistance against the Taliban remains active and is intensifying with each passing day.