Why Afghanistan's Panjshir remains out of Taliban's reach
Rodion Ebbighausen
August 20, 2021
The Panjshir Valley is Afghanistan's last remaining holdout where anti-Taliban forces seem to be working on forming a guerrilla movement to take on the Islamic fundamentalist group.
Most of the valley's inhabitants belong to the Tajik ethnic group, while the majority of the Taliban are PashtunsImage: picture alliance/Photoshot/J. Harper
The region, located 150 kilometers (93 miles) northeast of the capital, Kabul, now hosts some senior members of the ousted government, like the deposed Vice President Amrullah Saleh and ex-Defense Minister Bismillah Mohammadi.
Saleh has declared himself the caretaker president after ousted President Ashraf Ghani fled the country.
"I will never, ever and under no circumstances bow to the Taliban terrorists. I will never betray the soul and legacy of my hero Ahmad Shah Mas[s]oud, the commander, the legend and the guide," Saleh wrote on Twitter.
A decisive role in Afghan military history
The Panjshir Valley has repeatedly played a decisive role in Afghanistan's military history, as its geographical position almost completely closes it off from the rest of the country. The only access point to the region is through a narrow passage created by the Panjshir River, which can be easily defended militarily.
Famed for its natural defenses, the region tucked into the Hindu Kush mountains never fell to the Taliban during the civil war of the 1990s, nor was it conquered by the Soviets a decade earlier.
Most of the valley's up to 150,000 inhabitants belong to the Tajik ethnic group, while the majority of the Taliban are Pashtuns.
The valley is also known for its emeralds, which were used in the past to finance the resistance movements against those in power.
Before the Taliban seized power, the Panjshir province had repeatedly demanded more autonomy from the central government.
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Long history of resistance
Panjshir Valley was among the safest regions in the country during the time of the NATO-backed government from 2001 to 2021.
This history of the valley's independence has been closely linked to Ahmad Shah Massoud, Afghanistan's most famed anti-Taliban fighter, who led the strongest resistance against the Islamic fundamentalist group from his stronghold in the valley until his assassination in 2001.
10 films about Afghanistan
The country's tumultuous history has served as the backdrop of many international films. From "Kandahar" to "The Kite Runner," here is a selection.
Image: Mary Evans Picture Library/picture alliance
'Hava, Maryam, Ayesha' (2019)
The latest film by Afghan director Sahraa Karimi premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2019. It portrays three women, all living in Kabul but in different social contexts, who deal in their own way with pregnancy. The filmmaker's recent open letter warning against the Taliban was sent out to the world just before Kabul was taken. She has since fled Afghanistan and is now in Kyiv.
Image: http://hava.nooripictures.com
'Osama' (2003)
Under the first Taliban regime (1996–2001), women were banned from working in most fields of society, jeopardizing subsistence for families whose male members were killed or injured in conflict. "Osama" follows a young girl who disguises herself as a boy to support her family. It was the first movie to be filmed entirely in Afghanistan since 1996, as the Taliban had also banned filmmaking.
Image: United Archives/picture alliance
'The Breadwinner' (2017)
The award-winning Irish studio Cartoon Saloon created an animated film with a similar story: "The Breadwinner," based on the best-selling novel by Deborah Ellis, is also about a determined young girl who takes on the appearance of a boy to support her family. Executive produced by Angelina Jolie, the film received an Oscar nomination for best animated feature.
Based on the best-selling novel by Khaled Hosseini and directed by German-Swiss filmmaker Marc Forster, "The Kite Runner" deals with universal themes such as guilt and redemption, but the story is anchored in Afghanistan's tumultuous past half century, covering the fall of the monarchy, the Soviet military intervention, the mass exodus of Afghan refugees and the Taliban regime.
Image: Mary Evans Picture Library/picture-alliance
'Kandahar' (2001)
This film by Mohsen Makhmalbaf, one of Iran's great directors, tells the story of an Afghan-Canadian who returns to her homeland to save her sister from committing suicide. "Kandahar" didn't get much attention when it premiered at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival. But then came the September 11 attacks, and the world wanted to find out more about the hardships faced by women in Afghanistan.
Image: Mary Evans Arichive/imago images
'At Five in the Afternoon' (2003)
Two years later, Mohsen Makmalbaf's daughter, Samira, another leading name of the Iranian New Wave, also premiered a film centering on Afghan women at the Cannes Film Festival. "At Five in the Afternoon" tells the story of a young woman in war-torn Kabul who dreams of becoming president and tries to gain an education after the defeat of the Taliban. The film was also shot in the Afghan capital.
Image: Mary Evans Picture Library/picture alliance
'In This World' (2002)
"In This World" portrays two young Afghan refugees on their illegal journey from a refugee camp in Pakistan to London. The drama directed by Michael Winterbottom was shot in documentary style, and had non-professional actors performing fictionalized versions of themselves. It won the Golden Bear award at the 2003 Berlin Film Festival and the BAFTA for the best non-English film.
Image: Mary Evans Picture Library/picture-alliance
'Lone Survivor' (2013)
The film "Lone Survivor" is based on the best-selling account of US Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell, which depicts his participation in Operation Red Wings, targeting a group of Taliban fighters in Afghanistan's Kunar Province in 2005. Luttrell, portrayed by Mark Wahlberg in the film, was the only one in his four-man SEAL team to survive an ambush; a helicopter sent to their aid was also shot down.
Image: Gregory E. Peters/SquareOne/Universum Film/dpa/picture alliance
'Rambo III' (1988)
The third film in Sylvester Stallone's series is set during the Soviet-Afghan War. Rambo heads to Afghanistan to rescue his former commander from the ruthless Soviet Army. Claims that the film initially had a dedication "to the brave Mujahideen fighters," later altered to "the gallant people of Afghanistan" after 9/11, have resurfaced this week — but fact checkers have found this is only a myth.
Image: United Archives/IFTN/picture alliance
'Charlie Wilson's War' (2007)
But during the Reagan administration, the US did support the Mujahideen, the anti-Soviet resistance fighters — who went on to form fundamentalist groups such as the Taliban and al-Qaeda. US Congressman Charlie Wilson (portrayed by Tom Hanks in the film directed by Mike Nichols and written by Aaron Sorkin) was a key proponent of the covert funding program, which continued as late as 1991.
Image: Mary Evans Picture Library/picture-alliance
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Born in the valley in 1953, Ahmad Shah gave himself the nom de guerre "Massoud" ("the lucky one," or "the beneficiary") in 1979. He went on to resist the communist government in Kabul and the Soviet Union at the time, eventually becoming one of the country's most influential mujahedeen commanders.
After the withdrawal of the Soviet Union in 1989, civil war broke out in Afghanistan, which the Taliban ultimately won. However, Massoud and his United Front (also known as the Northern Alliance) succeeded in controlling not only the Panjshir Valley but almost all of northeastern Afghanistan up to the border with China and Tajikistan, thus protecting the region from the Taliban.
Massoud also espoused conservative Islam but sought to build democratic institutions and personally believed that women should be given an equal place in society. His goal was a unified Afghanistan in which ethnic and religious boundaries would be less clear. However, the Human Rights Watch organization accused Massoud's troops of committing massive human rights violations in the battle for Kabul during the civil war.
In 2001, Massoud was assassinated by suspected al-Qaeda militants.
20 years in Afghanistan – Was it worth it?
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Son following in 'father's footsteps'
Now, the son of Ahmad Shah Massoud, Ahmad Massoud, says he is hoping to follow in his "father's footsteps."
Massoud, who closely resembles his father in appearance and habits, commands a militia in the valley.
Social media images show the ousted vice president, Saleh, meeting with Massoud, and the duo appear to be assembling the first pieces of a guerrilla movement to take on the Taliban.
Massoud also called on the United States to supply arms and ammunition to his militia.
In an op-ed published Wednesday in The Washington Post, Ahmad Massoud said "America can still be a great arsenal of democracy" by supporting his fighters.
"I write from the Panjshir Valley today, ready to follow in my father's footsteps, with mujahideen fighters who are prepared to once again take on the Taliban," he said.
Russia also emphasized on Thursday that a resistance movement was forming in the Panjshir Valley, led by Saleh and Massoud. "The Taliban doesn't control the whole territory of Afghanistan," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
Afghans try to flee as Taliban topples government
Hundreds are trying to flee Afghanistan after the Taliban swept into the capital. Western powers airlifted civilians out of Kabul airport as commercial flights were halted.
Image: AFP/Getty Images
Desperate Afghans try to enter Kabul airport
Afghan families have been making increasingly desperate attempts to get into Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul. Many children are among the crowds trying to make a last ditch attempt to escape the Taliban who stormed the capital city.
Image: REUTERS
Afghans face an uncertain future
Since the withdrawal of US and NATO troops, Afghans have faced a difficult decision: stay and hope government forces contain the Taliban insurgency or flee to neighboring countries. Now that the Taliban has seized Kabul, many now appear to be caught in limbo, with no clear indication as to what will happen next.
Image: REUTERS
Crowds gather at Kabul airport
Kabul's main airport, named after Hamid Karzai, the first president installed after the Taliban were toppled, was the scene of desperate crowds on Monday. Hundreds were hoping to board planes and flee Taliban rule. While Western powers rushed to evacuate small groups of people, mostly their own citizens but also some local employees, commercial flights in and out of the country were halted.
Image: AFP/Getty Images
Taliban take presidential palace
After the fall of the capital city, Kabul, Taliban fighters took control of the Afghan presidential palace on Sunday. Live footage showed Taliban commanders and fighters sitting inside the palace, declaring victory in their campaign against Afghan forces.
Image: Zabi Karim/AP/picture alliance
Fear of Islamist rule
Many fear the hard-line Islamist rule of the Taliban, who claimed in a statement that they would not take revenge against those who supported the US-backed alliance. Women and girls were mostly prohibited from education during the Taliban's previous rule in Afghanistan. People in Kabul hurriedly took their own steps to try to hide images the fundamentalists might dislike.
Image: Kyodo/picture alliance
Crossing the border to Pakistan
While the Hamid Karzai airport saw an exodus of people trying to leave, some Afghans crossed over the border to Pakistan. Pakistani Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed told DW that the government has closed the Torkham border crossing with Afghanistan.
Image: Jafar Khan/AP/picture alliance
Taliban return weeks after US withdrawal
The US and its allies entered Afghanistan after the September 11 attacks in 2001, and toppled the Taliban. As the 20-year conflict came to an abrupt end with the pullout of US and NATO troops, Afghan government forces quickly collapsed without support.
Image: Hoshang Hashimi/AP Photo/picture alliance
Taliban leadership
The Taliban governed the country from 1996 to 2001 and imposed a strict interpretation of Islamic Shariah law. It was founded under the leadership of Mullah Omar. Haibatullah Akhundzada is now the top leader, while co-founder Mullah Baradar, seen in this image, heads the political wing.
Image: Social Media/REUTERS
Taliban fighters raise their flag
The Taliban claims it is ready to control the country and on Monday said it would not harm civilians who had cooperated with Western forces. "We are ready to have a dialogue with all Afghan figures and will guarantee them the necessary protection," Taliban political office spokesman Mohammad Naeem told broadcaster Al Jazeera. The claim might not be easy for all to believe.
Image: Gulabuddin Amiri/AP/picture alliance
Women and children at risk
Women, children and other minorities are likely to suffer badly under the Taliban regime. Women and girls were barred from education during the Taliban's previous rule in Afghanistan, which was overturned after the US-led invasion in 2001.
Image: Paula Bronstein/Getty Images
President Ghani flees
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the country on August 15. "In order to avoid the bleeding flood, I thought it was best to get out," he said, but stressed that he would continue to fight for the country.
Image: Rahmat Gul/AP Photo/picture alliance
Former President Karzai urges peace
Afghan leaders have created a council to meet with the Taliban and manage the transfer of power. Former President Hamid Karzai, who is part of the council, said this was "to prevent chaos and reduce the suffering of the people," and to manage a "peaceful transfer" of power.
Image: Mariam Zuhaib/AP Photo/picture alliance
US, European powers evacuate
Germany deployed military planes to help with evacuation from Afghanistan after closing its Kabul embassy. The US, Britain and Saudi Arabia are also evacuating forces, diplomats, and other officials from the country.
Image: Moritz Frankenberg/dpa/picture alliance
Protests in the US
Many in the US demonstrated in front of the White House for the restoration of peace in Afghanistan on the weekend. Admiral Mike Mullen said the US and allies "underestimated the impact of what a corrupt government does." He added: "We just reached too far, expectations were too high, and it was a bridge too far to get to where we thought we wanted to go."
Image: Ken Cedeno/REUTERS
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Taliban 'will win quickly and easily'
It is, however, not clear how strong this new anti-Taliban resistance movement is and how the new rulers in Kabul will react to it.
"If we can take the Taliban at their word, then Panjshir should be safe because the war in Afghanistan is over. The Taliban have pledged to stop using force, which suggests that they will leave areas not controlled by the Taliban alone. But we will have to wait and see," Michael Kugelman, a South Asia expert at the Washington-based Wilson Center, told DW.
He added: "But if an organized military resistance forms in the region, I don't think it's out of the question that the Taliban will go against it. And if they do, they will win quickly and easily."