Days of heavy fighting in Panjshir Valley, the home of the last major holdout forces in Afghanistan, seem to be wrapping up, with the Taliban claiming complete control of Panjshir Province, and releasing photos of their fighters at the governor’s compound.
Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid declared the war over, saying this amounted to a complete victory. The Panjshir remnant forces were what was left of the Ghani government that continued fighting after the fall of Kabul.
The remnants have denied that this is the case. Leader Ahmed Massoud has gone missing, but says he is safe and that his fighters are still fighting in several areas around the valley. This comes just a day after Massoud claimed that there were deals for a ceasefire and talks with the Taliban.
Talks reportedly happened as early as Saturday. No deals seem to be imminent, and with the Taliban in a winning position, the main reason for them to make a deal is international favor.
Panjshir is known for resistance to outside forces, and may be a struggle to rule, deal or no deal. It will likely be a major challenge even if the remnant force is ultimately wiped out.
Now the traitor trying to save his skin wants wider conflict so he can save his behind well if he is in the mountains the badr313 boys r hunting him and hopefully will cut this wannabe down.
Well atleast then he can be shown to have some of his father’s honor unlike that loudmouth Saleh who fled to Tajikistan
Another neocon fantasy shattered.
Massoud Jr, who was killing 800 Taliban per day on Twitter, has run away to Tajikistan (assuming he was in Panjshir in the first place) leaving 16 year old boys to die fighting the Taliban to cover his escape. The Panjshir militias, during the 20 year American occupation, also acted like professional criminals, extorting money from Kabul businesses, abducting young women, running prostitution rackets, etc, thoroughly alienating the ordinary Afghan people. There is next to no chance today of any kind of Northern Alliance resurrection, let alone a march on Kabul as in 2001.
https://www.aei.org/op-eds/erdogans-embrace-of-afghanistan-sociopath-provides-a-window-into-his-soul/
Erdogan’s embrace of an Afghanistan sociopath.
Both may be summarily executed if they or supporting troops find their way inside Afghanistan.
Erdogan fell out of favor when he went against our Fifth Column – Israel.
Both Massoud and Saleh, Ghani vice-president, are in Tajikistan. Saleh is the key, Massoud useful idiot. Neocon fantasy of the romanticism of Panshir Valley, their heroic resistance to Soviet Union, then the death of Massoud’s father at hands of Taliban…
Saleh was CIA asset in Ghani government. From the days of Soviet Union Russia had a good insight into Tajik and Uzbek communities in the valley.
And it appears that Russia helped to get the leaders out, including some other wealthy supporters of warlords like Massoud. Now they will no longer cause trouble, and can enjoy retirement. Turkey is apparently holding Dostum under its control.
Puzzle is falling in place. Remember US negotiations for Turkey to control the airport, that never materialized? I had a feeling that Turkey will be back. First came Qatar, now Turkey, no longer part of NATO mission. Turkey has military base in Qatar and Kabul airport will need anti-missile protection.
Neocons have other dreams. They speculate on Russia-China relations falling apart, as presumably with peace in Afghanistan, they no longer have common threat! Then dreaming Turkey will be doing their bidding, but conveniently forgetting how many shots they took already against Turkey to force its obedience — and failed? Because Turkey withstood several attacks on its currency due to its corporate exposure to dollar debt. And what was the magic that protected Turkey?
Qatar money, Russian and Iranian energy, Russian grain, Chinese-built infrastructure after Japan abandoned half-built projects, Chinese and Central Asia trade. Turkish construction and vegetable sale in Russia, tourism.
Turkey, Iran and Pakistan are becoming Eurasian regional powers under Russian and Chinese framework of support.
This ship has sailed long time ago.
Neocons do not understand that the main reason US had to leave is the absence of ANY support in the region, and strong push for independence within Afghanistan. The show in Kabul was not a government but a stage managed production.
By the end of the month there will be anti-terrorist exercises staged in Russia, with all top SCO decision-makers. Russia as host, China, India, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Kirgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
Neocons may have to rethink their philosophy. Being nasty to your allies and would be allies, ignoring their red lines and national interests, expecting everyone to bow to hegemonic demands, take insults and suffer indignities — is not the way to go.
Neocons as demonstrated by Blair’s recent speech, do not believe in accepting anyone as their equal. The world must be reeducated to be like us. The only way to achieve this — is to accept Western hegemony.
Neocons will continue digging their heels in — plotting intrigues around Afghanistan and around the globe where they want to prevail. Spend money like drunken sailors. While our co-plotters turn tables on us.
This is how Ghani military became Taliban military overnight. It will probably undergo some command restructuring, but it is still intact. Karzai has essentially turned against us. So are many others that tried to give us advice in how to succeed in Afghanistan. But neocons are hard of hearing — they crave power.
Remember those rumours around 11-12 August that Saleh had fled to Tajikistan? I’m 100% convinced that those rumours were true and all this time he had been tweeting from Tajikistan. For that matter I’m almost – not 100%, but say 93% – sure that Massoud Jr (whom a friend of mine calls simba) was in Tajikistan from the beginning too. Has anyone seen any photo or video of him in Panjshir after 15 August?