Afghan Diplomat Says Resistance Against Taliban Organised in Panjshir, Kandahar, Baghlan

DUSHANBE (Sputnik) - Afghanistan's Ambassador to Tajikistan Muhammad Zahir Agbar has told Sputnik that resistance forces against the Taliban* exist not just in the Panjshir province, but also in Kandahar and in the Andarab region of the Baghlan province.

"Nobody has expected that the Taliban will take over Kabul and the country so fast. The country had a well-prepared and equipped military with more than 50,000 personnel, and the agreement with the US which had to protect us but has not fulfilled [the agreement]. [Former Afghan President Ashraf] Ghani who had a secret agreement with the Taliban has run away, he has betrayed the people which elected him president", the diplomat said.

The ambassador reminded that, apart from the Panjshir, 33 Afghan provinces have surrendered to the Taliban. He noted that no one expected "such a development of events and was not ready for war, because for the last 20 years the Panjshir has been a tourist gorge, there was a place for rest".

"The resistance has not had a prepared army nor weapons to resist the Taliban, nevertheless the Panjshir is waging hostilities, it does not surrender. The people stood there for two days protesting and vouching 'Down with the Taliban!.' The protests are being held not only in the Panjshir, people stood up in Kandahar and Andarab. I am sure that very soon the whole country will stand up against the Taliban, and it will be not only political and military resistance, but the all-people resistance from all parts of the society," Agbar said.

Men prepare for defense against the Taliban in Panjshir, Afghanistan

© REUTERS / Aamaj News Agency

He noted that ex-Vice President of Afghanistan Amrullah Saleh is located in the Panjshir province, and resistance forces against the Taliban have enough weapons and military equipment there to continue their fight.

"Amrullah Saleh is now in the Panjshir Valley, we have constant communication over a phone, as well as with [resistance leader] Ahmad Massoud, and other members of the resistance who inform us about the situation in Panjshir. As for military assistance, I want to say that we still have enough strength, military equipment and weapons for our resistance in Panjshir," the diplomat said.

Agbar added that the Afghan resistance wants Tajikistan’s "political support".

"Amrullah Saleh was in Dushanbe, but I do not have accurate information about his meeting with [Tajik] President Emomali Rahmon. We are grateful to President Rahmon for his special attention to Afghanistan and for his support of our people here and there," the ambassador added.

The Taliban took over Afghanistan in August, which led to the collapse of the previous government and mass evacuations from the capital. Militants in Panjshir fought against the movement until September when the Taliban seized the province and announced the creation of a new Cabinet.

*The Taliban is an organisation under the UN sanctions over terrorist activities