After the emergence of an unstable communist government in Afghanistan in 1978, which soon faced coups and insurgency from various local Islamic groups, the neighbouring Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan on December 24, 1979, with the intention of protecting communist influence and interests. The Soviets also aimed to preempt American intervention in the fragile political situation of the country, and installed a loyalist of theirs as the Afghan president. The Afghan War over the next decade saw continued internal conflict between the Soviet-backed Afghan government and US-supported Islamic guerrilla fighters (mujahideen); over 4 million Afghans fled to Pakistan and Iran. The Taliban emerged in the wake of Soviet withdrawal in the early 1990s. The war also eventually contributed to the collapse of the Soviet Union.