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Taliban claims to have captured territories, passes in Panjshir

According to earlier reports, vicious clashes had broken out in Panjshir, leaving "hundreds" of Taliban militants wounded and killed

NEW DELHI, August 3. /TASS/. The Talib Times Twitter account, which presents itself as the "English language official account of Islamic Emirate Afghanistan," reported on Tuesday that the Taliban (outlawed in Russia) fighters had captured three districts in Panjshir, the last stronghold of their opposition.

"The forces of the Islamic Emirate have captured three important areas and passes of Panjshir and we will soon announce the complete victory," the account tweeted.

Earlier on Tuesday, CNN reported that vicious clashes had broken out in Panjshir, leaving "hundreds" of Taliban militants wounded and killed. Resistance force spokesperson Ali Maisam Nazary said that the Taliban broke a "gentleman’s agreement" and tried to attack Panjshir on Monday. The resistance front managed to repel the attack, pushing the Taliban back into the Parwan Province.

After the Biden administration announced the end of its US military operation in Afghanistan and the launch of its troop pullout, the Taliban embarked on an offensive against Afghan government forces. On August 15, Taliban fighters swept into Kabul without encountering any resistance, and gained full control over the Afghan capital within a few hours. Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani said he had stepped down to prevent any bloodshed and subsequently fled the country. Vice President Amrullah Saleh said that under the constitution, he becomes "the caretaker president" in the absence of the president and called for armed resistance against the Taliban.

The northern province of Panjshir is the only pocket of resistance to the Taliban. It is led by Ahmad Massoud, a son of Ahmad Shah Massoud (1953-2001), a once influential leader of Afghanistan’s Tajik community who fought against the Taliban back in the 1990s.