Taliban governor in Panjshir: no opposition forces are present in the province’s mountains or areas.
Mohammad Agha Hakim, the Taliban-appointed governor of Panjshir, has claimed that none of the forces opposing the Taliban are present in the mountains or other areas of the province, and that all parts of Panjshir are under the full control of Taliban security forces.
Speaking to Omid Radio, a Taliban-affiliated outlet, Hakim said the mountains of Panjshir resemble mountainous areas in neighboring countries, and claimed that Taliban opponents climb the mountains of “Kulab” before asserting that they are present in Panjshir.
The Taliban governor provided no independent evidence or documentation to substantiate these claims. He said: “The mountains of Panjshir and those in neighboring countries are similar. They climb the mountains of Kulab and say, ‘We are in Panjshir.’”
Mohammad Agha Hakim also claimed that all mountains and territory in Panjshir are under the surveillance of Taliban security forces and that no members of the group’s armed opponents are present anywhere in the province or its mountainous areas.
Emphasizing the extent of this surveillance, he said that not even “a single inch” of Panjshir is under the control of the opposition, adding: “We have 100 percent control, and complete security has been established.”
His remarks come as the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan has, at various times, released images of its armed members and claimed that its forces are operating in the mountainous areas of Panjshir.
However, the exact locations where the images and videos released by the National Resistance Front were recorded, as well as the group’s claims of maintaining a presence in Panjshir, cannot be independently verified.
The Taliban governor also said that improved security conditions have created an environment conducive to development projects, economic activity, and the delivery of public services in Panjshir.
Panjshir is among the areas that, following the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan, has become a major center of armed opposition to the group. The National Resistance Front of Afghanistan, led by Ahmad Massoud, has repeatedly reported attacks by its forces against the Taliban in Panjshir and surrounding areas in recent years.
Despite these conflicting claims, independent and verifiable information regarding the extent of opposition forces’ presence in different parts of Panjshir, as well as the province’s precise security situation, remains unavailable.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
