Reports from Afghanistan on Sunday indicated a resurgence of fighting between Taliban elements and opposition forces loyal to Ahmad Massoud, as they vie for control of the Panjshir Valley north of the capital Kabul. The Taliban announced that the new government formed by the movement in Afghanistan will be announced next week.
The spokesperson for the Afghan Resistance Front stated that Taliban elements were able to reach the "Darband" heights on the border between Kapisa and Panjshir provinces but were repelled, affirming that Afghan opposition forces continued to defend the region. A source within the Taliban mentioned that the movement's advance toward Panjshir slowed due to landmines planted along the road leading to the capital of Bazarak and the governor's compound.
While Panjshir remains the last Afghan province standing against the militant movement, both sides claimed to be in control of the situation in Panjshir, although they failed to provide conclusive evidence to support those claims. The Taliban were unable to seize Panjshir during their previous rule in Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001. According to Taliban spokesperson Bilal Karimi, the movement was able to capture the "Khanj" and "Anaba" areas, giving their forces the capability to control four out of seven districts in the province.
For its part, the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan claimed to have surrounded "thousands of terrorists" in the "Khwaak" passage and stated that the Taliban abandoned their vehicles and equipment in the "Dashti Rawak" area. The front's spokesperson, Fahim Dashti, reported that "intense clashes" were ongoing in the region.
In a post on Facebook, the leader of the front, Ahmad Massoud, stated that Panjshir "continues to stand strong" against the movement. Massoud praised the "noble sisters," referring to the women's protests that occurred in the western city of Herat, demanding women's rights, which he views as a demonstration that Afghans will not give up their demands for justice and "that they are not afraid of any threats."
