Former Vice President of Afghanistan, now in a war zone in Panjshir, Amrullah Saleh has appealed to the United Nations for help to prevent Taliban onslaught on the valley. He wrote a letter to the UNO citing the humanitarian plight in Pachshir where the Taliban have been attacking the resistance forces. Because of the economic blockage resorted to by the Talibans on Panjshir province and three districts in Baghlan province, a large scale humanitarian crisis had developed.
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“We call on the United Nations and the international community to do its utmost to prevent the Taliban’s onslaught into Panjshir province and encourage, negotiate a political solution to ensure thousands of displaced and hosting civilians are saved,” Saleh said in his letter. The Taliban and other foreign groups have unleashed a vicious attack against Panjshir and other free areas of northern Afghanistan. Saleh made this appeal in his capacity as acting president of Afghanistan.
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Internally Displaced Persons
Thousands of persons went to Panjshir after the fall of Kabul. There are about 2,50,000 residents in the valley. The internally displaced persons number about 10,000, according to Saleh. They are all suffering due to the economic blockade imposed by the Taliban. Saleh said if the international community does not intervene there would be hunger deaths and genocide. People who fled to Panjshir are living under the sky without any roof. Some of them are staying in mosques, schools etc. They need water, food, shelter and other facilities to survive, he said.
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Taliban have been very particular to win Panjshir, the only province that defied their authority. Taliban and the resistance forces have been fighting for more than a week. The Taliban have slowed down their aggression since they fear that their path has been landmined. Saleh and Ahmad Masoud, son of late Ahmad Shah Masoud who was chief of northern alliance, have been with the resistance troops who include the soldiers from Afghanistan army that chose to flee to Panjshir. There have been reports that Panjshir has fallen to Taliban. The reports were refuted by Saleh. The situation is quite dicey. As negotiations failed the resistance forces have no alternative to continue to fight. Taliban captured Kabul on August 15. They had negotiations with Ahmad’s representatives but they were not fruitful.
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700 Taliban killed, claims resistance forces
While the Taliban claimed to have captured important districts in Panjshir provice, the resistance forces say more than seven hundred Taliban have been killed in the battle. Six hundred Talibans have been captured and arrested, the resistance forces claimed. The Taliban, on the other hand, said they have entered Bazarak, the capital city of Panjshir and stormed the provincial governor’s office, the National Resistance Front said Taliban fighters were pushed back at the borders of Kapisa and Panjshir provinces. The districts of Khinj and Unabah in Panjshir province have been taken according to Taliban spokesman Bilal Karimi. The Mujahiddeen, meaning Taliban, are moving towards the centre of the province, he said.
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The National Resistance Front (NRF) claimed that it had surrounded thousands of terrorists in Khawak pass and the Taliban had abandoned their vehicles and equipment in Dashte Rewak area.
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