Guerilla fighters who opposed the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and were supplied by the US via Pakistan; later linked to al-Qaeda and the Taliban.

• A. Contras
• B. Mujahedeen
• C. Red Army
• D. Maquis

Answer: (B)

The question is about the Afghan guerrilla fighters who resisted the Soviet invasion and were aided by the United States through Pakistan. These fighters, known as the mujahedeen, waged a fierce insurgency against the Soviet-backed Afghan government from 1979 onward, with covert U.S. support routed through Pakistan’s ISI, including weapons, funding, and training. This backing helped sustain the resistance and wear down Soviet forces.

Over time, some factions within the mujahedeen evolved or aligned with more radical movements, contributing to links with al-Qaeda and the Taliban as the Afghan conflict shifted in the 1990s. The key takeaway is the alliance during the Soviet invasion and the later ideological and organizational connections that emerged among various groups.

The other options don’t fit this context: Contras operated in Nicaragua with U.S. backing; the Red Army was the Soviet military; the Maquis were French World War II resistance fighters.