Taliban, Opposition fight for Panjashir,US General warns of civil war

Conflicting reports pouring in from Afghanistan about the control of panjashir territory. Both sides claimed to have the upper hand in Panjshir. Sputnik reported quoting the Afghan resistance forces on Saturday said that more than 600 Taliban terrorists have been killed in northeastern province of Panjshir. The National Resistance Front said it surrounded "thousands of terrorists" in Khawak pass and the Taliban had abandoned vehicles and equipment in the Dashte Rewak area. In a tweet, the resistance forces also claimed that more than 700 Taliban fighters were killed, 600 captured and imprisoned.

Meanwhile, the battle for Panjshir, the last province out of the Taliban's control, continued on Saturday as both the Taliban and the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan claimed the upper hand. The Taliban claimed that they have entered the Anaba district after capturing the Shutul district of Panjshir, according to Asvaka News Agency. Taliban spokesman Bilal Karimi said the districts of Khinj and Unabah had been taken, giving Taliban forces control of four of the province's seven districts. On late Saturday night, the National Resistance Front also said that intense fighting was underway in the Paryan district, which continued till Sunday morning.

Panjshir is the stronghold of the National Resistance Front, led by Ahmad Massoud, the son of late ex-Afghan guerrilla commander Ahmad Shah Massoud, and ex-Vice President Amrullah Saleh, who had declared himself caretaker President.In Panjshir, former Vice-President Amrullah Saleh holed out alongside Ahmad Massoud, admitted the perilous position of the National Resistance Front.

Meanwhile,US general  Mark Milley warned of a "civil war" if the Taliban failed to consolidate power. "My military estimate is that- the conditions are likely to develop off a civil war. I don't know if the Taliban is going to be able to consolidate power and establish governance," General Milley, chairperson of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said  if the Taliban cannot that will "in turn lead to a reconstitution of al Qaeda or a growth of ISIS or other myriads of terrorist groups" over the next three years.