Dozens of Taliban fighters were killed in an uprising last week in the most significant military resistance to Afghanistan's new rulers since their takeover, regime commanders have admitted.
Fighting in Panjshir province north of the capital, Kabul, left more than 30 Taliban fighters dead and many more wounded, before military leaders flooded the area with reinforcements to regain control.
The clashes marked the biggest operation yet by a resistance front including some remnants of the former Afghan forces, which has vowed to launch a military campaign against the Taliban.
The National Resistance Front (NRF) is led by Ahmad Massoud, the son of the famed late Mujahideen commander Ahmad Shah Massoud, who used the Panjshir Valley's formidable natural defences as a base to resist both Soviet forces and the Taliban.
The insurgents-turned-rulers' stunning August 2021 victory over the internationally-backed government has seen them hold the country largely uncontested since then, except for attacks by Islamic State group.
But many fear it is only a matter of time before the Taliban's refusal to widen their government and include former adversaries will foment another chapter of civil war for the country.
The European Union's envoy to Afghanistan, Andreas von Brandt, said he was “concerned by reports of killings of civilians and mistreatment in Panjshir,” as the Taliban cracked down after the fighting.
Unverified videos shared on social media have claimed to show locals executed by Taliban forces in the wake of the fighting.
“Once more, the situation underlines the need for overdue inclusive solutions in governing Afghanistan,” Mr von Brant said.
The Taliban leadership has officially played down the clashes, insisting there were “no military incidents” and deriding the NRF as little more than an internet propaganda force.
Yet in phone interviews with The Telegraph, Taliban fighters and commanders confirmed the clashes
‘They can only hit and run’
A Taliban senior security officer said at least 32 fighters had been killed and more than 50 injured over the weekend.
“They underestimated the power of the Taliban and started attacking our soldiers.
“It is important to tackle this sedition in its early stage so it does not spread. We are making permanent bases in each area with good numbers of Taliban to oppress such resistance.
“The enemy know they don’t have the strength to take over districts. They can only hit and run.”
Many of the Taliban dead were from Helmand province and sources in the provincial capital said a plane had ferried more than 20 bodies to the city of Lashkar Gah earlier this week. More than 500 new reinforcements from Helmand had also been dispatched to Panjshir.
Another fighter, called Jan Muhammad, said most of the Taliban dead had come from ambushes on their convoys of pick-up trucks. He said the Taliban had since regained control.
“I just back from the end of the valley,” he said. “We did not face any resistance, there is no obvious frontline, but yes locals helped them. Now the new deployment won’t let them even breathe against the Taliban.”
A resident of Abdullah Khel in Panjshir said the Taliban had withdrawn after the attacks, only to return in overwhelming numbers.
“The NRF forces retreated and the Taliban started house searches. They came to our house three times and searched for my brother, but he escaped to the mountains. The Taliban arrested and beat any one they found at home. In my village no men are allowed to leave their houses and the Taliban are building check posts.
“This morning they used loudspeakers to announce if any one fired on the Taliban, locals would be punished collectively.”
The NRF has vowed to continue its offensive this summer across the north of Afghanistan. There have been reports of further attacks in Andarab district and Takhar province, but analysts have said that without supply lines to neighbouring countries any insurgency will struggle.
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