Afghanistan's last pocket of resistance — the Panjshir Valley — has reportedly fallen to the Taliban as the resistance force suffered massive losses fighting with the militant group. According to the latest AFP report, the Panjshir resistance force has called for a ceasefire and Taliban withdrawal. The resistance force has offered a peace settlement and asked the Taliban to amicably resolve the issues, added the report.

In the wee hours of Monday (September 6), Panjshir Resistance leader Ahmad Massoud said in a tweet, "The Taliban are not fighting with us but the Pakistani army and ISI are leading them. The Taliban are not strong enough to compete with us but the Pakistan Army is cooperating with them."

Ahmad Massoud is the son of famous Afghan commander Ahmad Shah Massoud, the Panjshir valley’s iconic resistance leader.

The Taliban are not fighting with us but the Pakistani army and ISI are leading them. The Taliban are not strong enough to compete with us but the Pakistan Army is cooperating with them #SanctionPakistan@calxandr

— Ahmad Massoud (@Mohsood123) September 6, 2021

According to Al Jazeera, amid the claims of the Taliban, the National Resistance Front (NRF) pledged to carry on fighting. The NRF said it was present in “strategic positions” across the valley, adding “the struggle against the Taliban and their partners will continue”.

In a statement shared on Facebook, the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan said, "With deep touch and regret, we lost two dear brothers and colleagues and fighters today. Fahim Dashti, the head of the office of Amir Saheb Ahmad Masoud and General Sahib Abdul Wadood Zhor, the nephew of the national hero of Afghanistan in the battle against the fascist group. Congratulations on your martyrdom!”

It is also being reported that Afghanistan's former vice president Amrullah Saleh, who had declared himself as the caretaker president after the Taliban took over Kabul, was moved to an undisclosed location after his house was bombed by the militia.

On the other hand, Taliban chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid issued a statement saying, "With this victory, our country is completely taken out of the quagmire of war."

Amrullah Saleh wrote a letter seeking the help of the United Nations and the international community on the humanitarian crisis in the Panjshir valley. In the letter, he claimed that the valley was on the verge of a "humanitarian catastrophe" that might result in the "genocide" of Afghan people. He appealed the UN and the international community to immediately extend their support to avert a humanitarian crisis, as around 2,50,000 people were facing the consequences of the blocked by the Taliban.

The Taliban had, so far, kept the announcement of the new government on hold and had pledged to capture the Panjshir Valley before making the announcement. Now, the announcement of the new government is expected soon.

Earlier on Saturday, Sputnik had reported, citing Afghan resistance forces, that about 600 Taliban militants were killed. After thousands of Taliban terrorists entered the valley, the resistance forces even blew up a mountain in Danah. However, later the Taliban took over the provincial capital of Panjshir and captured the surrounding districts.

Meanwhile, the New York Times has reported that the Taliban are preventing around 1,000 people, including dozens of American citizens and Afghans holding visas, from travelling to the United States or other countries. These people are on-board multiple planes that are not being cleared for departure by the Taliban.

(Edited by : Ajay Vaishnav)