25 years ago today , 9 SEP 2001 Ahmed Shah Massoud - 'The lion of Panjir' was assassinated by two Tunisian members of Al-Qaeda using an exploding camera during an attack disguised as a media interview. Massoud was a famous Afghan military commander and politician who led elements of the Mujahadeen against the Soviets during the Soviet Afghan war. Massoud later became the leader of the Northern Alliance in 1996 and after the Taliban captured Kabul he fled to remote northern areas of Afghanistan. 2 days after his death the attacks of September 11th 2001 rocked the United States. His remaining militia then allied with the coalition to overthrow the Taliban and fought to expel them from major strongholds like Mazar-i-Sharif, Kabul and Konduz. Veterans of Afghanistan may remember seeing pictures of him in homes, on cabs, storefronts and impromptu billboards. Many also heard stories from locals and members of the ANA who were previously fighters of the Northern Alliance. Conspiracies allege this may have been the first blow setting conditions for the attacks of 9/11 but what is certain is that his image and even his style of hat became symbols of resistance to Taliban rule among the population.