Taliban head towards Panjshir; Ask resistance groups to negotiate
In the Panjshir valley, a narrow ravine guarded on both sides by a small contingent of troops, the Taliban are moving along two axes to minimise casualties.
NEW DELHI — As the Taliban loses the three districts it had taken in the adjacent Baghan province, war clouds are gathering over the Panjshir valley, the Taliban’s only redoubt.
The Taliban, as per media reports, moved a large force from Kunduz to retake the refractory Baghlan areas, and the opposition quickly disbanded.
Taliban advancing but aim to minimize bloodshed
The Taliban are advancing along two axes to avoid bloodshed in the Panjshir valley, a tiny ravine defended on both sides by a small force of troops.
It has urged former Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Afghan senior negotiator Abdullah Abdullah, a half-Tajik, to meet with Ahmad Massoud, the son of renowned Panjshir Valley leader Ahmad Shah Massoud, who is negotiating with Afghan Vice-President Amrullah Saleh.
On the other hand, Panjshir leader Ahmad Massoud has stated that they believe discussion and understanding are the best ways to achieve a free, independent, and prosperous Afghanistan. But when it comes to force, Massoud said they were ready for the battle too.
Taliban’s call of negotiation for Panjshir leaders
Meanwhile, the Taliban leaders have also paid a visit to the Russian embassy in Kabul, where they requested the officials to convey to Panjshir leaders and people that Taliban have not attempted to enter Panjshir by force.
They stated further that Taliban is hoping for a peaceful resolution to the crisis, such as a political accord while they do not desire killing and are open to negotiation, according to Russia’s ambassador to Afghanistan.
The Taliban has already granted Ashraf Ghani and Amrullah Saleh amnesty, enabling them to return if they so desired.
Routes to Kabul airport being secured amid reports of Islamic State planning attacks
Pertinently, 20 people have died in the past seven days at and near Kabul’s airport during evacuation operations, according to a NATO diplomat. Consequently, according to CNN, the US military is working with the Taliban to develop “alternative routes” to Kabul airport because there is a significant probability the Islamic State group is planning an attack.
New Afghan government on the cards
Tolo News, however, reports that Taliban co-founder Mullah Baradar has arrived in Kabul for meetings with other officials as the organization works to form a new Afghan government.
Taliban political office members met with a group of politicians in Kabul on Saturday, including former President Hamid Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah, the head of the High Council for National Reconciliation (HCNR), to discuss the overall political situation, including the formation of an inclusive government.
Some Afghan political figures, on the other hand, have questioned the current format of the discussions, claiming that the political process should be more inclusive. Even former Balkh governor Atta Mohammad Noor has stated that the new government would not be acceptable unless it is inclusive.
