The Taliban announced that they had made progress on the ground in Panjshir Province in northern Afghanistan and emphasized that they controlled the Buryan area. At the same time, Panjshir local leader Ahmed Masood’s forces stated that they had repelled the attack.
On Friday, violent clashes between Taliban fighters and so-called “popular uprising” militants broke out in the Gul Bahar area, which overlooks the Panjshir Valley north of the Afghan capital Kabul.
A source of the Taliban movement told Al Jazeera that after negotiations with the so-called “popular uprising” leader Ahmed Masood failed, the Taliban decided to launch a large-scale military operation in Panjshir Province.
A Taliban fighter said: “Now the fighting in that valley is going on fiercely. Our enemy is using heavy artillery, and the fired shells fell on innocent houses. We chased them yesterday and captured three checkpoints, and we captured them. Got a tank and their bodies are there.”
Mohamed Zaman, an Afghan citizen, said: “I am coming from that direction. The telephone line in the Panjshir area has been cut. The Taliban are checking the identities of people. They only allow people with special permits to cross the border.”
At the same time, both parties (the Taliban and Masood forces) emphasized that the other side had suffered heavy casualties and that due to the interruption of the Internet and telephone communications in the Panjshir Valley, it was impossible to confirm both parties’ claims.
Al Jazeera’s Afghanistan correspondent Ahmed Val bin Erding reported that fierce fighting was taking place near the village of Gul Bahar on the outskirts of the Panjshir Valley. In view of the fierce fighting and fear of the falling of the shells, people sent their families away. To Kabul.
The Al Jazeera reporter added that the Taliban movement seemed determined not to repeat the mistakes made during its previous rule, when the Panjshir area was still out of its control, and pointed out that the Taliban cut off the Tajik-majority province from Tajikistan. Supply line between.
Front-line sources confirmed that this caused heavy losses to the Taliban and repelled the Taliban’s attack to control the only province out of its control. In contrast, social media accounts supporting the Taliban reported that 31 Panjshir fighters were killed in the fighting.
“Fighting has been fierce in the Panjshir Valley,” said Ali Messam Nazari, a spokesman for the National Resistance Front, which includes anti-Taliban militias and former members of the Afghan army.
Ali Nazari said, “Ahmed Masood is busy defending the valley,” referring to Ahmed Masood (little Masood), the son of commander Ahmed Shah Masood, the former former The commander is known for rebelling against the Soviet Union and the Taliban, and was assassinated by Al Qaeda on September 9, 2001. “
On the other hand, the Afghan Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said that the fighters of the movement entered Panjshir after negotiating with the local armed group failed and “caused heavy losses to the enemy”.
Mujahid-in a statement to Azadi International Radio-added that Taliban fighters have made progress and have taken control of the Jabul Saraj area of Parwang, north of Kabul, and Hawak near the Panjshir Valley. The main checkpoint in the Khawak area.
Martin Van Bigler, an Afghan analyst, wrote, “The Taliban forces gathered near the entrance to the valley but were ambushed and suffered losses.”
Biglet added that the two sides are committed to strengthening their position in the negotiations through strikes, rather than full-scale war, but said that the Taliban began to call on other provinces for reinforcements.
Negotiations broke down
A source of the Taliban movement told Al Jazeera on Wednesday evening that after negotiations with the so-called “national resistance” leader Ahmed Masood failed, the Taliban decided to launch a large-scale military operation in Panjshir Province. .
According to sources, Masood put forward conditions that the Taliban considered illogical.
These conditions are that the Taliban will not withdraw weapons and military equipment from their troops. The “popular uprising” will account for 30% of the next government’s composition. All the appointments of officials have been approved by the “popular uprising” and want to visit Pan Jiexi. No one in the province is subject to surveillance or tracking.
The Taliban had previously announced that hundreds of fighters had gone to Panjshir to take control. Earlier, Panjshir local provincial officials refused to transfer power peacefully.
Ahmed Shah Masood’s son had previously stated that he hoped to negotiate peace with the Taliban that controls Kabul, but emphasized that his troops are ready for battle.
Masood emphasized that if the Taliban try to invade their territory, his supporters are ready to fight, adding that they “want to defend and fight, and they want to resist any totalitarian regime”.
Joining Ahmed Masood’s camp is the former Vice President of Afghanistan Amrullah Saleh. After President Ashraf Ghani resigned and left the country, Amrullah Saleh considered himself to be The legitimate president of Afghanistan.
In addition, after the U.S. withdrawal and the fall of Kabul to the Taliban, thousands of soldiers from the collapsed Afghan army joined the Masood coalition.
In a related context, Amrullah Saleh, the vice president of the outgoing Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s government, denied the news that he had left the Panjshir Valley and appeared in a video to confirm this. a little.
Indian media have reported that Amrullah Saleh has left Panjshir Province for Tajikistan. At the same time, Sputnik quoted a source from Panjshir’s forces as saying that Amrullah Saleh He has left Panjshir Province for Tajikistan.
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