Despite the US withdrawal from Afghanistan three years ago, the Afghan resistance remains unacknowledged by the US and the West.

Since the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, the Taliban has held power for three years, and the NRF, the country's only pro-Western opposition force, struggles to gain ground against the extremist government, with little support from the U.S. and international community.

Despite lacking external support, the NRF has enhanced its abilities and broadened its military operations across the nation.

The Taliban agreed to prevent terrorist groups from using Afghan soil to target the U.S. and its allies as part of the withdrawal agreement with the Trump administration. However, a new U.N. Security Council report indicates that the Taliban has failed to curb al Qaeda activity in Afghanistan. The report notes that al Qaeda has opened eight new training camps and has safe havens in various parts of the country, including the rebel stronghold of northern Afghanistan.

The report stated that al Qaeda "has global aspirations and is making covert efforts to rebuild their capabilities." A 2022 U.N. report said that al Qaeda's leadership is reportedly advising the Taliban and the groups remain close.

The Taliban have swiftly dismissed any ties they may have with al Qaeda or the opposition they face, whether it's from resistance groups like the NRF or terrorist groups like ISIS-K. Despite this, it is difficult to deny the facts on the ground, as 493 Taliban fighters have been killed or injured since January, according to data from the NRF.

Ahmad Massoud, the son of the famous Mujahideen rebel Ahmad Shah Massoud, leads the NRF, the only credible pro-Western resistance unit fighting the Taliban.

The NRF is made up of former members of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces who have taken refuge in traditional strongholds of anti-Taliban resistance in the northern Panjshir valley after the Taliban took control of Kabul. Additionally, members of the Afghan security forces and government officials from the administration of former President Ashraf Ghani have also joined the NRF, including former Vice President Amrullah Saleh.

Fatemeh Aman, a non-resident senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, told Planet Chronicle Digital that the Taliban is facing challenges in altering the global view that they have established a government characterized by grave human rights abuses and harsh policies against women.

The NRF is the most significant resistance group opposing the Taliban's rule in Afghanistan, but a viable alternative to their rule does not appear to exist at present, according to Aman.

No group seems capable of replacing the Taliban regime without a large-scale uprising and widespread support from both Afghanistan and the international community, according to Aman.

Despite the ongoing global crises and the upcoming contentious U.S. presidential election in November, there seems to be little interest in the administration discussing the situation in Afghanistan, which has been going on for three years.

The United States does not support armed conflict in Afghanistan, according to a State Department spokesperson who spoke to Planet Chronicle Digital.

The State Department spokesperson stated that the country was at war for 44 years and that they do not want to see a return to conflict in Afghanistan, as they have heard from Afghans that they do not want it either.

The NRF's forces, consisting of former Afghan security forces, were trained by the U.S. and international forces for 20 years to combat terrorism.

"Our units are the most capable in fighting terrorists, and we have been doing so for three years without any support. We believe that with minimal support, we can defeat terrorism within Afghanistan," he stated.

The NRF would struggle to challenge the Taliban's control without external support, as the Taliban has not been recognized by major powers and has no seat at the UN. Additionally, the Taliban's failure to uphold its promise to respect the rights of all Afghans has maintained its status as an international pariah.

In Afghanistan, the Taliban imposed strict limitations on women's and girls' rights, including banning them from attending secondary and higher education and participating in various sectors of the economy and government, as stated by Human Rights Watch.

According to Afghan Ambassador to Austria Manizha Bakhtari, the process has laid the groundwork for an opposition coalition, drawing international attention to the illegitimacy of the Taliban.

After the fall of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, some ambassadors who served under the previous government formed an ambassadors' council. According to Bakhtari, the members of the council uphold democratic values, including human rights, women's participation, and girls' education, which are in direct opposition to the Taliban's objectives. The Taliban does not recognize embassies that do not comply with its directives. However, many embassies continue to provide consular services to the Afghan diaspora community and remain committed to maintaining their services.

Although the Taliban promised to include other ethnic groups in the government after regaining power, they have maintained their control over the government and excluded other groups. The dialogue between the Taliban and other parties lacks support from the US or EU, making it more difficult to challenge their rule.

Despite the NRF's efforts to remove the Taliban from power, Afghanistan's humanitarian situation has deteriorated under Taliban rule since 2021. In 2023, more than 23 million people required humanitarian assistance, and the U.N. reported that 4 million Afghans were malnourished, including 3.2 million children under the age of 5.