Burhanuddin Rabbani

Burhanuddin Rabbani, an ethnic Tajik, is the political leader of the Northern Alliance of Afghanistan. In 1992 he became President of the Islamic Council of Afghanistan (effectively ruler of the country), until Kabul was captured by the Taliban in 1996. He set up headquarters in the northern Afghan town of Faizabad and led, with support from Iran and Russia, one of the five anti-Taliban factions.

He was still recognised as ruler of Afghanistan by the United Nations and some other countries until he formally handed over power to an interim government headed by Hamid Karzai on December 22, 2001.