The Taliban surround the resistance movement in the Panjshir Valley - fighting continues

Since the fall of Kabul on August 15, thousands of Afghans have gathered in the mythical Panjshir Valley.

The hard-to-reach, mountainous area is described as the only part of the country that the Taliban have not yet taken over.

But now Taliban fighters are said to have surrounded the valley. 

The Swedish-Afghan Arash Hazrati is in constant contact with the national resistance movement in Panjshir.

He says that the Taliban started their offensive late on Tuesday and that they have attacked from three different fronts.

On two fronts, they have been pushed back, according to Arash.

"For the whole of Afghanistan, Panjshir is the last and only hope of being liberated from the Taliban," said Arash Hazrati. 

Unconfirmed information about the victims of the battle

"Last night, the Taliban attacked Panjshir, but were defeated by seven dead and several injured," Afghanistan's former defense minister Bismillah Mohammadi wrote on Twitter, according to Reuters.

There are various data on the number of dead and injured, none of which can be confirmed by independent sources.

But at least four dead and several injured Taliban fighters were taken to hospital, according to an Italian aid group, writes Reuters.  

The armed counter-movement is led in part by the legendary warlord Ahmad Shah Massoud's son Ahmad Massoud.

Local militias, remnants of army and special forces as well as civilians have joined. 

- They are fighting for survival, says Arash Hazrati.

The Taliban are ending negotiations

The Taliban say talks with the resistance have been suspended.

- My brothers, we did our best to solve the Panjshir problem with talks and negotiations, but unfortunately everything was in vain, says Taliban leader Amir Khan Motaqi in an audio message published on Twitter.

Panjshirdalen 80 km north of Kabul is one of the country's smallest provinces.

The geographically cut-off location, which makes the place difficult to conquer, can also be a disadvantage for the resistance movement.

All entrances are occupied by Taliban troops.

Supplies and equipment are almost impossible to get into.

Whether the resistance has any chance against the Taliban's large preponderance of weapons and manpower remains to be seen.