Editing Soviet–Afghan War (section)

==== Negotiations for a coalition ====
Ex-king Zahir Shah remained a popular figure to most Afghans. Diego Cordovez of the UN also recognized the king as a potential key to a political settlement to the war after the Soviet troops would leave. Polls in 1987 showed that he was a favored figure to lead a potential coalition between the DRA regime and Mujahideen factions, as well as an opposition to the unpopular but powerful guerrilla leader [[Gulbuddin Hekmatyar]], who was strongly against the King's return. Pakistan however was against this and refused to grant the ex-king a visa for potential negotiations with Mujahideen. Pakistan's President [[Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq|Zia-ul-Haq]] and his supporters in the military were determined to put a conservative Islamic ally in power in Kabul.<ref name="nsaessay" />

Negotiations continued and in 1988 through 1989, The Interim Afghan Government was formed in [[Peshawar|Pekhawar]] as an alliance of various Mujahadeen groups including [[Hezb-e Islami Gulbuddin|Hezbi Islami]] and [[Jamiat-e Islami|Jamiat]], and would be involved in [[Operation Arrow]] and the [[siege of Khost]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Afghan Interim Rule: Rocky Road |work=Christian Science Monitor |url=https://www.csmonitor.com/1992/0513/13181.html |access-date=2023-09-02 |issn=0882-7729}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web| title=Middle East Brief for 26 February 1988 | url=https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/DOC_0000258646.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230902145018/https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/DOC_0000258646.pdf | archive-date=2023-09-02}}</ref>