Afghanistan: Fighting breaks out between Taliban and resistance forces in mountain stronghold

Taliban and opposition forces are battling to control the last Afghan province holding out against the Islamist group.

Fresh fighting reportedly broke out on Saturday (local time) between Taliban militants and Afghan resistance forces in Afghanistan’s Panjshir Valley, even as the radical Islamists established power over the nation.

While celebratory gunfire rang out in the capital Kabul on Friday night (local time) as rumours spread the valley had fallen to the Taliban, no official statement has been made by the Taliban claiming victory, and a local resident told AFP by phone that the reports were premature and false.

Afghan resistance movement and anti-Taliban uprising forces gather in Panjshir, famous for its natural defences, and the last major holdout of anti-Taliban forces. Picture: AFP

The Taliban appear determined to crush the Panjshir resistance before announcing who will lead the country in the void created by the US troop withdrawal.

Afghan resistance movement on a hilltop in Panjshir. The anti-Taliban forces are led by Ahmad Massoud, son of the famed Mujahideen leader Ahmed Shah Massoud. Picture: AFP

And with American forces no longer on Afghan soil, 20 years of war – which started after the 9/11 terror attacks – are supposedly at an end.

But Panjshir Valley, a notoriously impenetrable mountain stronghold, held out for nearly a decade against the Soviet Union’s occupation and the Taliban’s first hard line rule of 1996-2001. And now it contains the DNA of resistance to a new era of Taliban rule.

Afghan resistance movement and anti-Taliban uprising forces in Panjshir province as the valley remains the last major holdout of anti-Taliban forces. Picture: AFP

Afghan resistance movement and anti-Taliban uprising forces take positions as they patrol on a hilltop in Panjshir province. Picture: AFP

Now, 80 kilometres north of Kabul, fighters from the National Resistance Front (NRF) – anti-Taliban militia, former Afghan security forces, and even young Panjshiri boys – have stockpiled weapons in the valley where they also train.

In Panjshir, former vice-president Amrullah Saleh is holed up with Ahmad Massoud – son of anti-Taliban commander Ahmad Shah Massoud.

“The situation is difficult, we have been under invasion,” Saleh said in a video message.

“The resistance is continuing and will continue,” he added.

Taliban fighters patrol Kabul International Airport as gunfire was heard in the city falsely celebrating the fall of Panjshir Valley. Picture: AFP

On Saturday (local time) the Emergency Hospital in Kabul said two people had been killed and 20 wounded in the conflict.

An armed Taliban fighter stands guard as devotees leave after prayers at the Pul-e Khishti Mosque in Kabul. Picture: AFP

An armed Taliban fighter (L) stands next to Mullah, a religious leader, during prayers at the Pul-e Khishti Mosque in Kabul. Picture: AFP

Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid tweeted instruction for his fighters to lay down their arms, AFP reported.

“The weapons and bullets given to you are public property. No one has the right to waste them. The bullets can also harm civilians, don’t shoot in vain.”

Afghanistan’s new rulers have pledged to be more lenient than during their first reign of power, which came after the Soviet invasion of 1979, and then a bloody civil war.

That regime was notorious for its brutal and literal interpretation of Islamic law, and its mistreatment of women, who were forced indoors and denied access to school and employment.

Afghan women take part in a protest march for their rights under the Taliban rule in the downtown area of Kabul. Picture: AFP

In Kabul, dozens of women protested for a second day on Saturday (local time) to demand the right to work and inclusion in the government.

CNN reported that violence had broken out on the Taliban-controlled streets with footage shared by local Afghan network TOLO News showing a confrontation between Taliban guards and women.

Video: A number of women rights activists and reporters protested for a second day in Kabul on Saturday, and said the protest turned violent as Taliban forces did not allow the protesters to march toward the Presidential Palace. #TOLOnewspic.twitter.com/X2HJpeALvA

— TOLOnews (@TOLOnews) September 4, 2021

But the Taliban have said women can have access to public life and they will not persecute political and religious opponents.

They have also promised a more “inclusive” government that represents Afghanistan’s complex ethnic mix.

A Taliban fighter stands guard during the Twenty20 cricket trial match between Afghan teams 'Peace Defenders' and 'Peace Heroes' at the Kabul International Cricket Stadium. Picture: AFP

It comes as Fox News reported that the Taliban were carrying out “house-to-house executions,” as the extremist militants hastened to consolidate power in the days after the US withdrawal.

Obtained by Fox News, chilling audio featured an Afghan man, who reportedly worked with Americans on the ground, talking about the gunfire surrounding him as he hid in an unknown location.

People in a queue outside a bank to withdraw money in Kabul. Picture: AFP

On Saturday, local time, AFP reported that the Taliban is patrolling the streets of Kabul and ordering people to wait before they can use ATMs where a maximum withdrawal of US$200 has been imposed on bank accounts in an attempt to prevent Afghanistan’s economic collapse.

GOOGLE LOCKS AFGHAN GOVERNMENT EMAIL ACCOUNTS

New York Post reports Google has temporarily locked some Afghan government email accounts in an apparent attempt to head off the Taliban’s hunt for the identities of former officials who worked with the recently collapsed US-backed administration.

“In consultation with experts, we are continuously assessing the situation in Afghanistan. We are taking temporary actions to secure relevant accounts, as information continues to come in,” a Google spokesman said in a statement obtained by The Post.

It was not immediately clear how many accounts were affected by the tech giant’s action.

The swiftness of the Afghan government’s fall at the hands of the Taliban last month has raised fears that the Islamic fundamentalists will take advantage of access to nearly two decades of official files to identify and take revenge on those who worked with and for Western-backed institutions.

A man paints over murals on a concrete wall along a street in Kabul. Picture: AFP

One former Afghan government employee told Reuters that the Taliban had asked him to preserve data held on servers belonging to the ministry he used to work for.

“If I do so, then they will get access to the data and official communications of the previous ministry leadership,” said the man, who added that he did not comply and is now in hiding.

According to Reuters, approximately two dozen Afghan government departments used Google to handle official email correspondence — including the ministries of finance and industry, as well as the office of presidential protocol.

Google-owned YouTube said it would “terminate” any account it believes to be operated by the extremist group. By contrast, Twitter said it would allow Taliban accounts to remain on the service while “proactively” enforcing its rules against “glorification of violence, platform manipulation and spam.”

KABUL AIRPORT REOPENS WITH HELP FROM QATAR

A Qatari technical team got Kabul airport reopened to receive humanitarian aid and the first domestic flights within Afghanistan started Saturday, local time, according to reports.

Citing Qatar’s ambassador to Afghanistan, Al Jazeera reported that the airport’s runway was repaired and two domestic flights flew to the cities of Mazar-i-Sharif and Kandahar.

Journalist Sumaira Khan tweeted a video of the purported first flight leaving for Mazar.

First flight takes off from Kabul airport to Mazar E Sharif after the US withdrawal....#KabulAirport is operational now...pic.twitter.com/gE1FIk2Jzb

— Sumaira Khan (@sumrkhan1) September 4, 2021

Kabul airport was shut down since 31 August, when the massive U.S.-led airlift ended, and the last troops withdrew after 20 years of war.

Qatar’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said on Thursday that the Gulf state was working with Turkey and talking to the Taliban to provide potential technical support to get the airport back in operation, Reuters reported.

– With AFP