Ahmad Massoud, the leader of the resistance front against the Taliban in Panjshir province, acknowledged in a voice recording on Monday the complete fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban. In the recording, Massoud confirmed that "the resistance against the Taliban continues in Panjshir," urging protests against the Taliban in all areas of Afghanistan. He also acknowledged the deaths of several military leaders of the resistance, adding, "Members of my family were killed in a Taliban attack yesterday."
He accused the Taliban of being subservient and of not listening to Muslim scholars, stating, "The Taliban brings in outsiders to kill the Afghan people." Additionally, he rejected "any foreign intervention in Afghanistan." This comes as the Taliban announced on Monday their complete control over Panjshir province. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid stated, "With this victory, our country has fully emerged from the quagmire of war." He added that "rebels were killed and others fled. The respected residents of Panjshir have been rescued from hostage-takers. We assure them that no one will be discriminated against. They are all our brothers, and we will work together for the country and the goal." He also announced that "the war is over," asserting that the control over Panjshir did not result in civilian casualties.
Simultaneously, the National Resistance Front stated on Twitter that they control "strategic positions" in the valley, adding that "the struggle against the Taliban and their partners will continue." Ahmad Massoud's forces suggested in a statement that the movement agree to a ceasefire and withdraw completely from the province, with the "National Resistance Front" halting its military operations if the Taliban comply with the conditions. The Taliban resistance in the Panjshir Valley had called for a ceasefire following reports of heavy casualties over the weekend. The front stated on Sunday on Twitter that its spokesman Fahim Dashti and General Abdul Wadud Zar were killed in recent battles.
The Taliban stated late on Sunday that they had seized nearly the entire valley, but social media accounts supporting the resistance denied this, claiming that resistance fighters had withdrawn to the heights. The Panjshir Valley, surrounded by rugged snow-covered peaks, offers a natural defensive advantage, allowing fighters to conceal themselves against advancing forces and later launch ambushes from the high ground toward the valley.
In developments related to Afghanistan, Martin Griffiths, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, announced on Sunday that he met with Taliban leaders, where he confirmed the international organization's commitment to delivering humanitarian aid "without bias." Griffiths added via Twitter that he also emphasized the need to "protect millions of needy people in Afghanistan." For his part, Taliban spokesman Mohammad Suhail Shaheen stated that Griffiths met with Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the head of the political office of the movement in Kabul. Shaheen mentioned on Twitter that the UN delegation "pledged to continue humanitarian assistance."
Moreover, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged all Afghans to immediately halt violence, as stated in a report submitted to the Security Council over the weekend, amid fears of a new civil war in Afghanistan. Guterres wrote in the document, "I call for an immediate end to violence and for the respect of the security and rights of all Afghans, as well as respect for Afghanistan's international obligations, including all international agreements undertaken by this country." He added in this document, issued in the context of renewing the mandate of the UN political mission in Afghanistan, which expires on September 17, "I call on the Taliban and all other parties to exercise the utmost restraint to protect lives and ensure humanitarian needs are met."
