Mohammed Fahim

The key commander of the Northern Alliance forces now poised outside Kabul is Mohammed Fahim, 44, who took over from the charismatic Ahmad Shah Masood, murdered by suicide bombers sent by Osama bin Laden on 9 September.

Fahim was Masood's chief of staff and took command of his forces when he was abroad on diplomatic missions. A native Tajik and the son of a Muslim cleric, Fahim studied Islamic law at Kabul university.

During the late Seventies he joined the anti-Communist resistance and linked up with Masood, becoming his military pupil. In the fight against Russian occupation he became the head of Masood's intelligence operations.

At that time Masood was the most effective Mujahideen commander. In 1992 Fahim led Masood's triumphant forces in to Kabul. Later Fahim had to organise the defence of the city against Taliban forces.

Eventually in 1996 it was he who organised a fighting withdrawal of Masood's forces from the capital to the Tajik heartland of the Panjshir and the borders with Tajikistan.