But the Afghan seat at the United Nations continues to be held by former President Burhanuddin Rabbani.

BBC: Analysis: Who are the Taleban?

Mr Masoud was defence minister in that government, headed by Burhanuddin Rabbani, which, theoretically, is still in existence in exile.

ECONOMIST: Ahmad Shah Masoud

But Burhanuddin Rabbani, the Alliance's leader and self-styled president of Afghanistan, was sidelined, apparently under pressure from the American and German governments, among others.

ECONOMIST: An outline for power-sharing that may just work. Maybe