Clashes have resumed in Panjshir province between the Taliban and the national resistance front, the NRF, since Wednesday evening, two local sources said, adding that the fighting happened in Hese Awal-e-Khinj district.
The sources claimed that at least 13 Taliban members were killed and nine more were wounded in the clashes. Taliban has not commented on the clashes, but sources said they had sent at least 300 new soldiers to Panjshir in the last two days.
The fighting was intense as the Taliban soldiers on the ground were supported by the air.
Panjshir residents meanwhile said that the Taliban soldiers are using fruits in their gardens and that they cannot complain about this.
A resident of Panjshir who wished not to be named said that he could not collect and sell fruits in his garden due to the fear of being harmed in the ongoing clashes.
“We are asked to leave our gardens if we insist on collecting the fruits,” said a resident.
The “clearance operation” started after a Taliban convoy was ambushed by NRF forces in the Arzo Dara area in the Shutul district of Panjshir that according to sources, imposed heavy losses on the Taliban.
The last Taliban attack on NRF targets was two weeks ago that ended after four days and happened in various parts of Panjshir. Later, they sent their soldiers to Balkhab district in the northern Sar-e-Pul province to fight against their splintered Hazara commander Mawlawi Mahdi Mujahid.
Meanwhile, a source from Panjshir confirmed that an NRF commander, Colonel Noorullah Khisraw, was also killed in the clashes against the Taliban. Sources added that Col. Khisraw was on the way to Paryan district in Pajshir when he was attacked by the Taliban at around 5 pm on Friday.
