Afghanistan is passing through a tunnel that offers little light for stability at the end of it. Although it has seen multiple periods of chaos and uncertainty, the current situation poses far deadlier challenges for the Afghan people in particular, and in general for the region. The undisputed triumph of the Afghan Taliban over the country pushes forward a new, in fact, horrific chapter for the security fabric of the country which is already torn by proxy wars of mercenaries. The world saw how a well-aided, equipped, and a well-supported armada of the Afghan army disappeared and surrendered before some unprofessional non-state group of Taliban fighters.

Taliban fighters, without facing an iota of resistance from the Afghan Army, managed to seize the entire country, except Panjshir Valley, where the resistance battle is continuing, though the Taliban are believed to be in control of most of the province.

The Panjshir Valley is known for its great history of resistance against foreign intruders who have through the decades failed to establish control on the region. For instance, the defeat of Soviet forces in the 1980s is a notable example of resistance under Ahmed Shah Massoud, who was a powerful guerrilla commander during the resistance against Soviet occupation between 1979 and 1989. The Panjshir Valley opposed and resisted the Taliban regime in the 1990s too.

Now, the Taliban has taken over the reins of the country, but once again people of the Panjshir valley are battling them. This time Ahmed Massoud - son of the slain Ahmed Shah Massoud - along with Amrullah Saleh, Vice president of the previous government who has declared himself president now, has taken the position of his father to defend the territory against Afghan Taliban.

Hotbed of terrorism?

Certainly, the Taliban will face a hard time ruling the country since several anti-Taliban groups are currently active there. Besides the Afghan Resistance Forces (ARF) in the Panjshir Valley, multiple other groups pose a persistent threat to the Taliban regime, such as the ISIS-K (Islamic State of Khorasan Chapter) who claimed responsibility for the Kabul airport bombings in which several people including some US soldiers died.

ISIS-K fighters believe that they are the sole group that can establish the true form of Islam by restoring its lost glory in the region. Over the years, they have transformed their operational capabilities manifold since coming into the theater in 2015. In the given situation, peace and stability are daydreams for the Taliban amidst such complex security conundrums.

A wide range of terrifying possibilities exists for the country, including that Afghanistan will turn into a hotbed for the various terrorist organizations to launch their plans.

At the same time, the Taliban’s claim of inclusive government is beyond the credulity of political experts.

The Taliban are claiming they are a new and upgraded version, but such dubious claims meant only to garner the support of crucial regional powers - China, Russia and the Central Asian republics. However, such tactics can hardly maximize their support base in the international community, as the political thinking of the international community lhas changed dramatically.

They are applying their tools to get soft recognition of various nations to legitimize their rule over the country. Ground realities in Afghanistan are bound to change once the Taliban accomplish recognition and acceptance of the major powers.

Civil war ahead?

Nonetheless, the country, with an extensively rich diversity of culture and ethnicity is on the road to nowhere. It is heart-wrenching to see Afghans leaving their homes wherein they lived for centuries, if not millennia. Migration is the ultimate option in the face of such grim and dramatic situations. The horrendous scenes at Kabul airport witnessed last month paint a cataclysmic situation where many people lost their lives desperate to get out of Afghanistan. Nobody can fathom the magnitude of pain, misery and suffering of Afghans who see life slipping out of their hand!

Afghanistan is sliding towards one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.  And its aftershocks will continue to be heard in the region. Apparently, the role of world peacekeeping bodies is virtually non-existent. It is the core responsibility of the Muslim Ummah to rescue Afghans from the clutches of an impending civil war.

(The writer is a journalist based in Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan. The views are personal. He can be reached at: nizambaloch149@gmail.com)