The somewhat grandiose name adopted by remnants of the mojahedin regime which held power in Kabul from 1992 to 1995, when the Taliban took over. The Alliance, like most power structures in Afghanistan, is a coalition which constantly splits and coalesces. It controls maybe 10% of the country, mostly near the northern and eastern borders. Its most effective military commander, Ahmed Shah Masood, was assassinated by suicide bombers, almost certainly Taliban agents, a few days before the World Trade Centre attack.