Taliban firing shots in the air to celebrate… they claim the resistance bastion of Panjshir has fallen. The resistance forces deny Taliban’s claim, they say it is a lie.
Panjshir, the valley of 5 lions. The only province of Afghanistan that was not under the Taliban even after capital Kabul fell.
150 km northeast of Kabul, Panjshir has formidable natural defences. Nestled in between the majestic Hindukush mountains, the narrow passage carved out by the Panjshir River is the only access point to this valley.
If the region’s rugged terrain inspires fear, its inhabitants are equally fearsome fighters. Home to the famed resistance group, the Northern Alliance – Panjshir has always held its own. It did not fall to Taliban in 1990s civil war and it did not bow down to the Soviets a decade before that.
In Panjshir was born Ahmad Shah Massoud, Afghanistan’s greatest resistance commander. ‘The Lion of Panjshir’ marshalled Afghans in the 1980s to end Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. In 1996, when Taliban were emerging as the victors in the civil war, Massoud rallied fighters from various tribes and led the Northern Alliance.
His resistance forces not only kept Taliban away from Panjshir but also from almost all of northeastern Afghanistan up to the border with China and Tajikistan. In 2001, Massoud was assassinated by suspected al-Qaeda terrorists.
20 years after, Panjshir again emerged as the epicentre of the war against the Taliban. This time led by Massoud’s son, Ahmad Massoud.
As the Taliban had reached the gates, the valley was yet again filled with sounds of guns firing. Several armoured vehicles dotted the rocky dry roads as local militia leaders, some Afghan army units and special forces joined Massoud’s guerilla force --- resolute to beat the Taliban yet again
Taliban had mobilised thousands of its fighters who waited outside the gates of Panjshir.The Taliban wanted to resolve the situation peacefully.
Was the Taliban then applying the Kabul tactics in Panjshir? Waiting at the gates till Massoud and his allies reached a stage of exhaustion.
Massoud too had said that negotiations were the only way forward but had stressed that resistance forces would fight if they had to.
There were several rounds of talks between the two sides during which it was agreed that neither side would use the military option till the negotiation are on.
With the talks failing, reports of heavy fighting between the Taliban and the resistance forces became frequent with both sides claiming casualties to the other side.
There were already concerns that the resistance forces may not be able to win against Taliban this time. Concerns that Taliban will block supplies to the valley if they gain control of the entrance. They have already cut phone and internet in the valley, according to reports.
Has Massoud then succumbed to the Taliban wait and pressure strategy or will he like his father be able to keep a determined Taliban outside the gates of the valley of 5 lions?