Masood killing linked to air strike plan

By Atul Aneja

MOSCOW, SEPT. 27. The killing earlier this month of the former military commander of the Northern Alliance, Commander Ahmad Shah Masood, was linked to air strikes planned by him against the Taliban by his newly formed air force.

Authoritative sources here said Masood was in the process of acquiring Russian MiGs with the help of his supporters in the region and this galvanised the Taliban and its Pakistani backers to target him. The killing was the handiwork of the Pakistani intelligence, the sources pointed out. The bomb attack was carried out by two Moroccans who were subsequently killed.

Masood, the sources said, knew that an assassination plot against him was brewing and the French intelligence, with which he had long standing ties, had alerted him about this possibility sometime ago.

Analysts point out that the Taliban militia and their Pakistani backers would have been under considerable pressure in case the Northern Alliance launched an air offensive. Retaliation against air attacks would have been difficult as that would have entailed additional investment in anti-aircraft weaponry, radars and manpower.

The attempt on Masood's life was, therefore, meant to serve two purposes. The first was to throw the Northern Alliance leadership into complete disarray. During the period of chaos that would follow, the Taliban planned to launch an all-out offensive against the Northern Alliance.

The day after the attack on Masood saw the Taliban offensive in Northern Afghanistan going into top gear. The Taliban surge, however, forced the Northern Alliance to demonstrate its strength and this became visible in the form of an early morning missile attack on the Kabul airport soon after an attempt on Masood's life.

Big blow for India

The loss of Masood is a big blow for India. New Delhi, the sources pointed out, had almost entirely backed him. In the post- Masood situation, India's best friend in the Alliance is the President, Mr. Burhannudin Rabbani. The leadership elite of the Alliance now includes Masood's former intelligence chief, Gen. Mohammad Fahim Khan.

Commander Masood's death has heightened India's dependence on Russia for protecting its interests in the Northern Alliance. In fact, it was Russia which played a leading role in bringing India to the international limelight over the Afghan question.

Over-riding some reservations of Iran, India, for the first time, was represented at a major collective brainstorming session which took place at Dushanbe to discuss the fall-out of the assassination of Masood on the future of Afghanistan. Russia, Iran and Tajikistan were the other leading players in this exercise. This meeting which took place within days of the New York attack was reportedly followed up by a visit to Tajikistan by the Minister of State for External Affairs, Mr. Omar Abdullah.

India's entry into the core group of supporters of the Northern Alliance was facilitated by the Russian President, Mr. Vladimir Putin, after his last visit to India. India and Russia also formed a Joint Working Group on Afghanistan then.

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