Taliban encircle Panjsher from several directions

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Taliban say they have encircled central Panjsher province and are striving to resolve the issue through talks, but Amrullah Saleh claimed besieging some Taliban in Andarab valley.

Last week, Taliban took control of Kabul as former president fled the country and his 1^st deputy Amrullah Saleh went to Panjsher from where he announced himself as acting president of Afghanistan.

Both Saleh and Ahmad Massoud, the son of Ahmad Shah Massoud, announced to resist the Taliban.

On Sunday, Saleh tweeted: “Talibs have massed forces near the entrance of Panjshir a day after they got trapped in ambush zones of neighboring Andarab valley & hardly went out in one piece. Meanwhile Salang highway is closed by the forces of the resistance.”

He added, “There are terrains to be avoided".

Zabihullah Mujahid, Taliban spokesman and head of the cultural commission, said Bano district of Baghlan, Pul-i-Hesar and Deh Salah districts were completely cleared of the “enemy”.

He said their forces had stationed at Panjsher entrances from Takhar, Badakhshan and Andarab directions.

“The Salang Highway is open and the enemy is besieged in Panjsher. The Afghanistan Islamic Emirate is trying to solve the issue via talks.”

Residents of the area also confirmed that the Taliban forces had gathered in the Jabul-Seraj district of Parwan and were preparing for an operation in Panjsher.

sa/ma