Taliban claim 'Panjshir Valley fully captured', Afghan resistance leaders deny

KABUL: After days of fighting, the Afghan National Resistance Front finally collapsed after the Taliban took full control of Panjshir province in northeastern Afghanistan on Monday.

“The Taliban have taken complete control of Panjshir province, the last area in Afghanistan being held by resistance forces,’’ the Islamist militant group`s spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid was quoted as saying by media reports.

With this, the Afghan Taliban now control the entire 34 provinces of the country. Pictures on social media showed Taliban members standing in front of the gate of the Panjshir provincial governor’s compound.

However, the resistance leaders have denied the Taliban capturing the Panjshir province. "Taliban’s claim of occupying Panjshir is false. The NRF forces are present in all strategic positions across the Valley to continue the fight. We assure the people of Afghanistan that the struggle against the Taliban & their partners will continue until justice & freedom prevails,'' the Afghan National Resistance Front was quoted as saying by Zee Media.

Taliban’s claim of occupying Panjshir is false. The NRF forces are present in all strategic positions across the valley to continue the fight. We assure the ppl of Afghanistan that the struggle against the Taliban & their partners will continue until justice & freedom prevails.

— National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (@nrfafg) September 6, 2021

There was no immediate word from Ahmad Massoud, the leader of the opposition group resisting Taliban forces. The Afghan National Resistance Front had on Monday admitted that another senior member of their group, General Abdul Wudod Zara has been killed during the standoff between rebel forces and the Taliban.

General Wudod was the nephew of Panjshir resistance leader Ahmad Massoud. Some reports also claim that Amrullah Saleh has moved to a safe place after a helicopter attacked his house, Samaa News reported.

The developments came soon after Afghan resistance force spokesperson Fahim Dashti was reported dead by various Afghanistan media.

"Regretfully, The National Resistance of Afghanistan lost two companions in the holy resistance against oppression and aggression today. Fahim Dashty, NRF spokesperson, and General Abdul Wudod Zara were martyred. May their memory be eternal," the Afghan resistance front was quoted as saying by the Samaa News.

A day earlier, Ahmad Massoud, the leader of the resistance forces in Afghanistan`s northeastern province of Panjshir said resistance forces are ready to cease fighting and start negotiations if the Taliban leave the province, Sputnik reported on Sunday.

The Panjshir Valley lies in the Hindu Kush mountains, approximately 90 miles north of Kabul. The Taliban have been unable to take this major holdout of resistance after steamrolling across pro-government troops in a matter of months. The war over Panjshir province escalated from Friday night.