Panjshir – India Chron https://indiachron.com Mon, 06 Sep 2021 04:24:32 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://indiachron.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/favicon-4-150x150.png Panjshir – India Chron https://indiachron.com 32 32 Fierce fighting in Panjshir; both Taliban, Resistance claim ‘upper hand’ https://indiachron.com/world/fierce-fighting-in-panjshir-both-taliban-resistance-claim-upper-hand/ Mon, 06 Sep 2021 04:24:32 +0000 https://indiachron.com/fierce-fighting-in-panjshir-both-taliban-resistance-claim-upper-hand The fate of Afghanistan’s Panjshir Valley – the final holdout against Taliban control – hangs in the balance as heavy fighting continues. Even as the Taliban claimed that it has taken “full control” of Afghanistan by capturing Panjshir, the Resistance fighters they are battling has denied this.

The Resistance includes former Vice-President Amrullah Saleh, former Afghan security force members and local militias. Both sides are claiming to have gained the upper hand.

Saleh has also dismissed claims that he had fled, but said the situation was “difficult”, the BBC reported.

The Resistance – which includes former Afghan security force members and local militias – is led by local tribal leader Ahmad Massoud. His father successfully fought the Soviets who invaded in the 1980s and the Taliban in the 1990s.

In a video message sent to the BBC, Saleh, a former vice-president of Afghanistan, said there had been causalities on both sides.

“There is no doubt we are in a difficult situation. We are under invasion by the Taliban,” he said.

But he added: “We will not surrender, we are standing for Afghanistan.” He said he was sharing the video to assure people that reports suggesting that he had left the country were false.

The fighting in Panjshir is reported to have left hundreds dead. The valley, north of the capital Kabul, is one of Afghanistan’s smallest provinces and the only one not to have fallen to the Taliban.

The traditional anti-Taliban stronghold is home to somewhere between 150,000 and 200,000 people, and is hidden behind mountain peaks.

]]> Afghanistan-Taliban update: Fighting ongoing in Panjshir; both sides suffer casualties https://indiachron.com/world/afghanistan-taliban-update-fighting-ongoing-in-panjshir-both-sides-suffer-casualties/ Fri, 03 Sep 2021 04:39:44 +0000 https://indiachron.com/afghanistan-taliban-update-fighting-ongoing-in-panjshir-both-sides-suffer-casualties As Kabul looks to announce the new government, fighting is ongoing in Panjshir, the only province resisting Taliban rule in Afghanistan. The Taliban confirmed to Afghan news agency TOL Onews that the Taliban fights and resistance forces led by Ahmad Massoud have been fighting for two days, and that both sides have been suffered casualties.

“Mujahideen of the Islamic Emirate was attacked from some circles in Panjshir who bluff and say they will resist. The Mujahideen reacted to the attack and as a result the other side has suffered heavy casualties.” said Anaamullah Samangani, a member of the Taliban’s cultural commission, to TOL news.  However, a spokesman of the resistance front told the agency that 40 Taliban personnel were killed and 35 injured.

Meanwhile, on the governing front, the presidential palace in Kabul is being prepared for a ceremony to announce the new government said Taliban official Ahmadullah Muttaqi. It will reportedly be led by Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhundzada.  A prime minister or president will likely work under him. The Afghan rulers are also looking to resume operations at Kabul airport. A team of Qatari technical experts had landed in the capital on Sept.1 to discuss the resumption of airport operation. An AFP report said that the discussion is ongoing and was initiated by Afghanistan.

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