Panjshir rebels make Taliban toil, trap detachment in narrow gorge

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 5

The Taliban was making heavy weather of its quest to control the Panjshir Valley while the delay in announcing the leadership in Kabul, in the presence of Pakistan ISI chief LT Gen Faiz Hamid, continued more than a fortnight after the group entered the capital on August 15.

The National Resistance Front had trapped some Taliban fighters in a narrow gorge on the mouth of Panjshir Valley but there was no conclusive evidence from either side to establish their claims of having inflicted heavy damage on the other side.

A Taliban leader again said a Supreme Leader (Amir al-Mu’minin) will be the spiritual head of Afghanistan and there will be a Prime Minister to run the government but there were no further details on the composition of the new government. The Taliban is maintaining that it has almost completed the task of appointing a cabinet without giving any inkling about the sticking points.

But sources close to the Taliban say the new government could be an interim arrangement and a Loya Jirga could be convened to form a permanent government. Besides the western countries and India, even Pakistan, Russia and China have called on the Taliban to form an inclusive government.

Interestingly, Pakistan hosted a virtual conference with Afghanistan’s neighbours—Iran, China, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Except for China, the majority ethnic community of all these countries spills over in Afghanistan and most of them are keen that the Pashtun-dominated Taliban include their representatives in a future government.

Pakistan’s special envoy to Afghanistan Mohammad Sadiq said they discussed the situation in Afghanistan especially the need for security and stability.

The Taliban also attempted to signal normalcy by resuming the operations of Ariana Afghan Airlines while it holds talks with Qatar for technical assistance to begin full-fledged operations.