New Delhi: The Taliban and resistance forces continued to fight for the Panjshir valley as the announcement of a new government was delayed again on Saturday (September 4, 2021). Both sides, however, claim to have the upper hand over the last Afghan province holding out against the Islamist group. 


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Taliban spokesman Bilal Karimi said that the districts of Khinj and Unabah had been taken, giving the Islamist group control of four of the province's seven districts. 


On the other hand, the Ahmad Massoud-led National Resistance Front of Afghanistan said that it has surrounded thousands of terrorists in Khawak pass and the Taliban had abandoned vehicles and equipment in the Dashte Rewak area. In a Facebook post, Massoud insisted Panjshir 'continues to stand strongly' and praised their 'honourable sisters'. He also said that demonstrations by women in the western city of Herat calling for their rights showed Afghans had not given up demands for justice and that they fear no threats.


Earlier a Taliban source had stated that their advance was slowed by landmines placed on the road to the provincial capital, Bazarak.


This is to be noted that the Taliban, which took power in the rest of Afghanistan on August 15, were never able to control the Panjshir valley when they were in the power from 1996 to 2001.


17 KILLED IN CELEBRATORY GUNFIRE IN KABUL 


At least 17 people were killed in celebratory aerial firing in Kabul on Friday after Taliban sources claimed victory over Panjshir by their fighters. The 'aerial shooting' in Kabul also reportedly wounded 41. The gunfire also drew a rebuke from the main Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid who asked the Taliban fighters to 'avoid shooting' in the air and 'thank God instead. "Bullets can harm civilians, so don`t shoot unnecessarily," Mujahid said on Twitter.


NEW GOVERNMENT NEXT WEEK


A Taliban source has said that the announcement of a new government would be pushed back to the next week. Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, reported by some Taliban sources to be in line to lead the new government, has said that the new administration will include all factions of the Afghan people.


"We are doing our utmost efforts to improve their living conditions. The government will provide security because it is necessary for economic development," he said.


PAKISTAN ISI CHIEF REACHES KABUL


Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed flew into Kabul on Saturday and could help the Taliban reorganise the Afghan military. It wasn't immediately clear what he had to say to the Taliban leadership but the Pakistani intelligence service has a strong influence on the Taliban. The Taliban leadership had its headquarters in Pakistan and were often said to be in direct contact with the ISI. 


KABUL AIRPORT REOPENS


Qatar's ambassador to Afghanistan on Saturday said that a technical team was able to reopen Kabul airport to receive aid. The airport was closed since the United States completed the evacuations and withdrew the last of its troops on August 30. Earlier on Thursday, Qatar's Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, speaking at a joint news conference with Britain's Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab in Doha, had said that the Gulf state was talking to the Taliban and working with Turkey for potential technical support to restart operations in Kabul airport.


(With agency inputs)