The Taliban on Monday said that they took control of the whole of Panjshir province, 125 north of Kabul, and the last holdout of anti-Taliban forces, thus bringing the only province the group never controlled under its rule. However, the National Resistance Front (NRF), led by Ahmad Massoud and former vice president Amrullah Saleh, refuted the claim, saying their fighters are present on all strategic peaks in the valley and the fight will continue. 

According to local reports, the Taliban overrun most of the districts last night, and several senior and key commanders of the NRF were killed during the fighting. Fahim Dasti, the spokesperson of the Resistance Front,  and General Wadood, a relative of Massoud,  were among those killed last night, reports said.  

“We tried our best to solve the problem through negotiations, and they rejected talks and then we had to send our forces to fight,” Zabihullah Mujahid said during a press conference today.

Ahmad Massoud is reportedly in Tajikistan. And, Saleh is still in the valley in an undisclosed position, several journalists tweeted citing sources. There are also reports of Saleh’s home being bombed twice last night. Journalists also reported that several fighters of the Resistance Front claimed that Pakistani fighter jets and drones were used in bombing their key positions--a claim also repeated by Ahmad Massoud in an 18 minute recording released today. 

The Panjshir Valley has a single narrow entrance and is known for its natural defenses. In the 80s, local fighters led by Ahmad Shah Massoud held off the Soviets and the Taliban a decade later out of the valley. 

Earlier on Sunday Ahmad Massoud, in a statement, Sunday offered to end the fighting only if the Taliban agreed to end their assault. However, later in the evening dozens of vehicles carrying  Taliban fighters were seen swarming into the Panjshir Valley.

Meanwhile, Mujahid said on Monday that the Taliban would announce a new government “within days” and that would be an inclusive government. 

In an important announcement, he also said to former officials and soldiers of erstwhile Afghan National Security and Defense Forces will be asked to return to work.  “We need their expertise,” Mujahid said. 

Members of the previous Afghan security forces would then join with Taliban fighters to form a single army, he asserted. 

(SAM)