Battle of Panjshir: Inhabitants flee, fighting in multiple directions

In the Afghan province of Panjshir, active hostilities have resumed between the Taliban (a terrorist organization banned in the Russian Federation) and the resistance forces.

The Taliban launched an offensive from several directions on the last of the 34 provinces of the country, which is not yet under their control and has become a stronghold of the rebels. Thick clouds of smoke rise from the surrounding mountains. Residents of this and neighboring province of Parwan are trying to flee from a fierce battle. The Battle of Panjshir has begun.



Fighting began four days ago, when Taliban forces led by Ahmad Masud, the son of killed warlord Ahmad Shah Massoud, said the fighting began four days ago. Taliban leaders said attempts to reach a negotiated compromise had failed.


- said the 52-year-old Asadullah, a resident of the Jab al-Seraj district in Parwan.

Intensified fighting has forced hundreds of families to flee villages along the road that usually leads to Panjshir, about 125 kilometers north of the Afghan capital, Kabul.

Residents said that before the Taliban entered Kabul, they saw Afghan National Army soldiers from Kunduz, Baghlan, Kapisa, Parwan and Takhar provinces heading towards Panjshir after the fall of these provinces. They say that they were retreating from the military technique... However, due to the fact that Panjshir is blocked by the Taliban, it is difficult to verify and clarify the details.


- said local resident Khabib Golbahar.

Women and children flee to nearby towns, in this case to Parwan's capital Charikar and the capital, Kabul, while the men stay behind to guard their homes. Roads to Panjshir are blocked, mobile communications are disabled, so information about what is happening in the "rebellious" province is difficult to verify. Only one thing is known for sure, that over the previous 20 years, the provinces of Panjshir and Parwan were the safest in the country.

Several residents of Parwan province said that the Taliban * are forcing the local population to collect killed militants in the mountains.


- clarified one of them, asking not to be named.

However, other residents did not confirm this information. At the same time, the Taliban categorically deny any information about intentional harm to local residents. They argue that if they did not worry about the fate of civilians, the war would be over in a few days.