Afghanistan remembers hero Massoud

Afghan President Hamid Karzai pledged to implement Massood's vision of freedom and unity for the country

BAZARAK, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai flew to the Panjshir valley to pay respects at the grave of Afghanistan's legendary resistance leader Ahmad Shah Massoud.

At Massoud's mausoleum outside of town, Karzai joined local dignitaries and government ministers and said prayers at the tomb.

"It's a moment that makes me feel, if he were alive today, maybe things would have been easier for all of us," Karzai said of his comrade.

The memorial was held two days before the anniversary of the Northern Alliance leader's death, and on the eve of Karzai's trip to the United States to attend U.N. services marking the anniversary of the September 11 attacks.

Among those who attended the service were Foreign Minister Abdullah and U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Robert Finn.

Afterwards, Karzai visited the home of Massoud's family where he was welcomed by the late military commander's 13-year old son.

Even though Karzai had survived an attempt on his own life two days earlier, he kept the window down as he waved to villagers who lined the route of his motorcade.

Revolt

Massoud, who was assassinated last year, led Afghan soldiers for more than two decades to combat the Soviets and the Taliban.

His ethnic Tajik followers formed the leadership of the alliance that took over Kabul when the mostly Pashtun Taliban fled the capital in November.

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Karzai had once discussed plans with Massoud to lead a revolt against the Taliban regime.

Now heavily guarded by Special Forces and Afghan bodyguards, he pledged to carry on Massoud's cause.

"It is a moment to reflect that in order to make this country better we have to continue the struggle even risking our lives. It is a moment of determination to continue like him the struggle to make things good," Karzai said.

Massoud was assassinated last September 9 by two Arabs posing as TV Journalists, their camera packed with explosives.

The Northern Alliance was then battling the country's ruling Taliban, which harbored members of al Qaeda.

It is believed the attack was ordered by Osama bin Laden to rid of Massoud and help his Taliban hosts end the last pocket of resistance to their rule.

But the Taliban was eventually ousted by an U.S.-led military operation on Afghanistan, with the help of Northern Alliance forces on the ground.

Hero

The charismatic Northern Alliance leader was assassinated last year by two suicide bombers

Karzai praised the struggle of the fallen leader who has helped liberate Afghanistan from the Taliban's oppressive rule.

"The truth is Massoud's struggle in the last days saved this country from total occupation. Without that, even with September 11th, we would have had to start from zero and I don't know if we would have succeeded or not," Karzai said.

Close friends of Massoud, like Foreign Minister Abdullah, were moved to tears remembering all the years he had fought against first the Soviet occupation and then the lonely war against the terror of the Taliban and Osama bin Laden.

"That struggle was against those people who did the tragedy of September 11th, who killed thousands of people in the US, that was a right struggle a just cause," said Abdullah.

Massoud's death is considered a great loss to Afghanistan. Now, it is up to Karzai and his officials to shoulder the burden of implementing Massoud's vision for the country: freedom, unity and the right to self-determination.