Massoud and Rabbani meanwhile kept working on an internal Afghan peace process – successfully. By February 1996, all of Afghanistan's armed factions – except for the Taliban – had agreed to take part in the peace process and to set up a peace council to elect a new interim president. Many Pashtun areas under Taliban control had representatives also advocating for a peace agreement with the Islamic State government. But Taliban leader Mullah Omar and the Kandaharis surrounding him wanted to expand the war. At that point the Taliban leadership and their foreign supporters decided they needed to act quickly before the government could consolidate the new understanding between the parties. The Taliban moved against Jalalabad, under the control of the Pashtun Jalalabad Shura, to the east of Kabul. Part of the Jalalabad Shura was bribed with millions of dollars by the Taliban's foreign sponsors, especially Saudi Arabia, to vacate their positions. The Taliban's battle for Jalalabad was directed by Pakistani military advisers. Hundreds of Taliban crossed the Afghan-Pakistani border moving on Jalalabad from Pakistan and thereby suddenly placed to the east of Kabul. This left the capital city Kabul "wide open" to many sides as Ismail Khan had been defeated to the west, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar had vacated his positions to the south and the fall and surrender of Jalalabad had suddenly opened a new front to the east.
massoud and rabbani meanwhile kept working on an internal afghan peace process – successfully by february 1996 all of afghanistan's armed factions – except for the taliban – had agreed to take part in the peace process and to set up a peace council to elect a new interim president many pashtun areas under taliban control had representatives also advocating for a peace agreement with the islamic state government but taliban leader mullah omar and the kandaharis surrounding him wanted to expand the war at that point the taliban leadership and their foreign supporters decided they needed to act quickly before the government could consolidate the new understanding between the parties the taliban moved against jalalabad under the control of the pashtun jalalabad shura to the east of kabul part of the jalalabad shura was bribed with millions of dollars by the taliban's foreign sponsors especially saudi arabia to vacate their positions the taliban's battle for jalalabad was directed by pakistani military advisers hundreds of taliban crossed the afghan-pakistani border moving on jalalabad from pakistan and thereby suddenly placed to the east of kabul this left the capital city kabul "wide open" to many sides as ismail khan had been defeated to the west gulbuddin hekmatyar had vacated his positions to the south and the fall and surrender of jalalabad had suddenly opened a new front to the east