Days after the resistance forces led by the current acting President Amrullah Saleh attacked the Taliban on the outskirts of Panjshir valley, Saleh had openly challenged the radical Islamist group from amassing its forces in the valley. It must be mentioned that the Afghan forces had recently gained control over the Charikar area of the Parwan province from the radical Islamist group backed by the Pakistan military.
In a tweet on Monday (August 23), the acting Afghan President tweeted, “Talibs have massed forces near the entrance of Panjshir a day after they got trapped in ambush zones of neighbouring Andarab valley & hardly went out in one piece.”
He further cautioned, “Meanwhile Salang highway is closed by the forces of the Resistance. “There are terrains to be avoided”. See you.” Saleh, the former Vice President, had declared himself the President after Ashraf Ghani fled the country.
His comments come at a time when social media reports have surfaced that show the Taliban dispatching forces to attack the Resistance forces in Panjshir. Reports from the country suggested that the Resistance defeated the radical Islamist outfit in Andarab valley after the Taliban moved to the Baglan Province from Kunduz city on Sunday (August 22). The chaos in Afghanistan caused following the US exit under President Joe Biden, drew criticism from several quarters.
Ahmad Massoud and vice president Amrullah Saleh are said to be organizing a resistance movement against the Taliban. A couple of days ago, they were filmed together at northern HKIA on a late afternoon, entering a Mi-17 that reportedly transported them to the Panjshir Valley. https://t.co/GuwmnjnAav
— Christiaan Triebert (@trbrtc) August 17, 2021
US President Biden continues to face criticism for the hasty and badly managed withdrawal from Afghanistan that effectively handed the country over to the Taliban on a platter. His recent statements and justification of the withdrawal were termed “shameful falsehood after shameful falsehood” by US Senator Ben Sasse (R-Nebraska). US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley called the Afghanistan fiasco an ’embarrassing failure’ for the USA. Congressman Adam Kinzinger expressed concerns about whether the USA is even capable of stopping the growth of terrorism after the ‘disastrous’ withdrawal.
Ahmad Massoud and the Resistance against Taliban in Panjshir Valley
Besides acting President Amarullah Saleh, one of the key leaders of the Resistance against the Talibs is Ahmad Massoud. Son of anti-Soviet resistance leader Ahmad Shah Massoud, he had been mounting a fight against the radical Islamist outfit in Panjshir Valley. While speaking to Al Arabiya TB station on Sunday (August 22), he emphasised the need for dialogue but added that the fight would continue until the Talibs refuse to talk.
He has vowed to not surrender territories, which are under his control, to the Islamist organisation. “Government forces came to Panjshir from several Afghan provinces…The Taliban will not last long if it continues on this path. We are ready to defend Afghanistan and we warn of bloodshed,” Massoud cautioned.
