 In the late 1990s , Saleh was a member of the Northern Alliance ( also known as the United Front ) and was fighting against the Taliban expansion . In 1997 , Saleh was appointed by Massoud to lead the United Front 's international liaison office at the Embassy of Afghanistan in Dushanbe , Tajikistan , where he served as a coordinator for non @-@ governmental ( humanitarian ) organizations and as a liaison partner for foreign intelligence agencies . 
