Taliban Claim Victory Over Resistance, but Massoud Vows to Fight

ISLAMABAD - The Taliban said road links to Panjshir valley are now open, and food and other supplies can now be transported. Soon after declaring they had taken over the valley and ended remnants of resistance against their rule, the group said electricity, cellphone and internet services would be restored soon.  Last night we had to make a hard decision in the face of furious enemy attacks and depleted amunations. Make a last stand in Bazarak and risk the total elemination of our leadership or retreat to higher ground inorder to continue the resistance. We choose the latter. #Panjshir We don't fight for governor's compound or Panjshir. We fight for freedom and the freedom of all #Afghanistan. Everyone is safe and in good spirits. We are on a terrain that we know and best suits the next chapter of our resistance. We know what we are doing! This was expected! Rabia Sadat one of the today’s protestor in #Kabul beaten by Taliban.#Afghanistan. pic.twitter.com/1s3El4TZHW

“Thank God that we do not have civilian casualties in our fight to capture and conquer Panjshir,” Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said in a press conference in Kabul on Monday. The Taliban have taken over the provincial capital and the governor’s compound in the valley and shared videos of their fighters in the capital.