New Resistance Group Emerges Amid Resurgence of Militants in Afghanistan

Kabul — A new armed resistance movement has surfaced in Afghanistan, announcing its return under the name Afghanistan Military Salvation Front (AMSF) on Thursday. The group becomes the third significant organized resistance alongside the National Resistance Front (NRF) and the Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF), highlighting persistent opposition to the Taliban regime.

Tracing its roots to the earlier United Military Salvation (UMS), AMSF condemned current Taliban policies as unconstitutional, inconsistent with public interest, and violating Sharia principles. The group pledged to act against any faction it considers undermining Afghanistan’s national or civic welfare.

Ethnic Discontent, Purges and Defections Fuel Resistance

Analysts point to systemic ethnic bias under Taliban rule as a major factor driving the resurgence of resistance. The dominance of Pashtuns in political and military ranks has created dissatisfaction among non‑Pashtun communities. According to 2024 data, approximately 90% of senior and mid-level Taliban officials are Pashtun, while Tajiks account for around 5.4%, Uzbeks 2.8%, and Hazaras just 0.7%. By contrast, Afghanistan’s population includes 27% Tajiks, 9% Hazaras, and 9% Uzbeks.

This disparity has led to internal purges and the marginalization of non‑Pashtun officers. In June 2025, over 4,400 personnel, predominantly ethnic Tajiks and other non-Pashtuns — were dismissed from the Ministry of Defense, widely criticized as ethnically motivated consolidation rather than legitimate restructuring.

One high-profile example of resistance is Mehdi Mujahid, a Hazara commander who led an uprising in Balkhab district in mid-2022 against Taliban authority. Mobilizing about 200 Hazara fighters, Mujahid protested discrimination and repression before being killed in clashes with pro-Taliban forces in August 2022.

Reports from northern provinces, including Takhar, Baghlan, Badakhshan, and Panjshir, document repeated instances of disrespect, arbitrary arrests, and removal of non-Pashtun officers. These actions have sparked local protests and rekindled ethnically aligned resistance sentiments.

Governance Failures, Civil Repression, and Public Discontent

Beyond ethnic bias, Taliban restrictions on political participation, civil liberties, media freedom, and economic neglect have intensified public grievances. In 2024, citizens in Kabul, Herat, and Jowzjan staged protests against arbitrary arrests, pension defaults, and harassment of women and minorities.

Non‑Pashtun communities, already marginalized under Taliban governance, increasingly view former resistance groups and the newly formed AMSF as defenders of ethnic rights, civic justice, and representation.

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From Dormant Networks to Renewed Resistance

The legacy of UMS and the activism of non-Pashtun fighters like Mehdi Mujahid demonstrate that Afghan resistance has never entirely vanished; it has evolved, shaped by shifting grievances and power dynamics. Analysts suggest AMSF represents a reconfiguration of opposition, driven less by foreign influence and more by internal social, ethnic, and political fault lines.

Experts warn that unless the Taliban address ethnic discrimination, implement inclusive governance, and restore civic freedoms, Afghanistan may enter a new phase of insurgency rooted in identity-based dissent and resistance to centralized, ethnically homogeneous rule.