As the Taliban is eyeing to announce its government formation, the Northern Alliance continues to garner support in the fight against the terrorist group. On Tuesday, people gathered in large numbers in front of the Effiel Tower in Paris and raised flags of the Northern Alliance in its solidarity.

Although the USA on Monday officially announced its withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Taliban still faces formidable resistance from the Northern Alliance, led by Ahmad Massoud and Afghanistan's 'care taker' President Amrullah Saleh who are currently based in Panjshir Valley, which is not yet taken over by the Taliban. 

Northern Alliance supporters rally behind Ahmad Massoud's convoy 

Earlier on Tuesday, visuals accessed by Republic TV showcased people rallying behind Northern Alliance commander Ahmad Massoud, the son of former resistance commander, Ahmad Shah Massoud. The visuals of Massoud's convoy showcased thousands of people in the Panjshir Valley rallying behind Ahmad Massoud. 

The Taliban has amassed its fighters and surrounded the Panjshir Valley with heavy equipment. According to reports, the guerrilla fighters of the Northern Alliance have been able to keep the Taliban at bay so far. 

Northern Alliance 

The Northern Alliance is a major resistance force based out of Panjshir Valley. The resistance has once again emerged following Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan. The current resistance is led by Ahmad Massoud, son of late Ahmad Shah Massoud, the infamous Tajik commander who was known as the 'Lion of Panjshir'. Ahmad Shah Massoud had fought the Soviets and later, the Taliban during its previous regime.

During its earlier regime, the Taliban had failed to capture Panjshir, which was a bastion of the Northern Alliance back then. During the US' invasion of Afghanistan, the Americans collaborated with the Northern Alliance in order to counter the Taliban. However, Massoud was assassinated by Taliban-backed al-Qaeda terrorists two days before the 9/11 terrorist attack. However, Panjshir remained unconquered even after Massoud's death.

The current resistance has also taken Amrullah Saleh in the fray, who is a close aide of Ahmad Shah Massoud. Saleh himself was a fighter in the Northern Alliance and later became Afghanistan's chief spymaster and Intelligence chief in the governments that came in under American supervision after the post-9/11 invasion. Amrullah Saleh has been vocal about Pakistan's support for the Taliban and has maintained that the Northern Alliance will not surrender to the Taliban. Both leaders of the resistance have appealed to the Western powers to support them in terms of arms and ammunition. 

(Image Credits: AP)