An estimated 450 Taliban fighters were neutralized and 130 others were apprehended in Panjshir on Friday, according to the Afghan Resistance Forces’ spokesperson Fahim Dashti.
An overnight assault on 8,000 Taliban and 350 off-roaders was repulsed and ambushed after four hours of combat.
“450 Taliban fighters were killed today, and 130 others were arrested,” he said. According to a tweet from Dashti.
According to Dashti, the resistance forces are closing in on Baghlan, Badakhshan, and Kapisa provinces.
Al-Qaeda fighters reportedly joined forces with the Taliban to launch attacks on the Panjshir valley on Thursday but were repelled by Ahmad Massoud Saidd’s resistance forces.
In the last few days, both sides have suffered casualties as the Taliban attempts to take over the remaining strongholds in the country.
Read: Secretary Of State Antony Blinken Defends Afghanistan Troop Withdrawal Amid Criticism
After the capture of Kabul on August 15, remnants of the previous Afghan government and military gathered in the Panjshir valley.
Ahmad Massoud, the son of commander Ahmad Shah Massoud, is believed to live in the rocky region.
A valley that has historically been thought to be difficult to attack due to its terrain has been occupied by resistance forces.
As the Taliban prepares to announce a new government, efforts to negotiate a ceasefire have reportedly broken down after each group blamed the other for the failure to reach an agreement.
According to the Taliban’s spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, the group has taken control of some Panjshir territory.
Afghan anti-Taliban forming a guerrilla movement
Afghan anti-Taliban forces appear to be forming a guerrilla movement in the Panjshir Valley to take on the Islamic fundamentalist group.
The Panjshir Valley in the north of Afghanistan is the last place where the islamist extremist group might be able to hold out against the Taliban after their quick takeover of power in Afghanistan.
Also Read: President Joe Biden And Other Top U.S Official Surprised By Rapid Taliban Takeover In Afghanistan
Amrullah Saleh and Bismillah Mohammadi were both deposed vice presidents who now live in the region 150 kilometers (93 miles) northeast of Kabul’s capital.
Ashraf Ghani, the country’s ousted president, has fled the country, and Saleh has declared himself the interim president.
“Under no circumstances will I bow down to the Taliban terrorists. When it comes to my hero Ahmad Shah Masoud, I will never betray his soul or legacy “Saleh posted a tweet.
Afghanistan’s military history was shaped by this event
Because of its isolation from the rest of Afghanistan, the Panjshir Valley has played a pivotal role in Afghanistan’s military history. The Panjshir River creates a narrow passageway that can be easily defended militarily.
The region in the Hindu Kush mountains, renowned for its natural defenses, was never captured by the Taliban during the civil war of the 1990s, nor by the Soviets a decade earlier.
Around 150,000 residents of the valley are Tajiks, while the majority of Taliban are Pashtuns.
Also Read: Man Faces 1st Sentencing For Felony In Riot At U.S. Capitol
As early as before the Taliban took power, provincial officials in Panjshir pressed for more autonomy from the federal authorities.
With a long history of struggle,
From 2001 to 2021, the Panjshir Valley was considered one of the safest regions in Afghanistan.
From his stronghold in the valley until his assassination in 2001, Ahmad Shah Massoud, Afghanistan’s most renowned anti-Taliban fighter, led a fierce resistance against the Islamic fundamentalist group.
