The Taliban managed to seize Afghanistan in just a few days, but there is only one province in the country that has opposed them. It is located about 150 kilometers from the capital Kabul and is named after the valley in which it is located.
Detachments of resistance to the radical Taliban have been formed in the province of Panjshir, and have so far been joined by several thousand people.
But how long will they last?
“Hundreds of Islamic Emirate Mujahideen are heading to Panjshir to take control after local authorities refused to hand him over peacefully,” the Taliban said in Arabic on their Twitter account early Monday morning.
A few hours later, they stated that they were in fact looking for a political solution to the Panjsher resistance.
At the same time, the Taliban said their militants from neighboring Badakhshan, Tahar and Andarab districts in Baghlan had taken up positions near the province.
The relief of the Panjshir valley plays a key role in its defense capabilities. Hidden in the Hindu Kush and accessible only through a narrow gorge, local forces have long used its remoteness as an advantage over potential invaders.
Panjsher was not conquered by the Taliban even during their first rule in Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001.