Anti-Taliban resistance head Ahmad Massoud says 'Will never give up', public address soon

Echoing 'Caretaker' President Amrullah Saleh, Northern Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRFA) leader Ahmad Massoud on Saturday, took to Facebook to assert 'We will never give up the fight for God, freedom and justice'. Lauding the women protesting against the Taliban in Herat, he said that Afghans have not given up their demands for rights. He also promised to address the Afghan people publically. The NRFA has rubbished claims of Taliban capturing Panjshir.

Ahmad Massoud: 'We will never give up'

Taking to Facebook, he wrote, "We will never give up the fight for God, freedom and justice. The struggle, whether like Panjshir, which has stood firm so far, or like our zealous Herati sisters, who bravely raised the cry for justice, shows that the people have not given up their demands for rights and are fighting for their rights. They do not get tired and are not afraid of any threat".

He added, "Failure only happens when you give up the fight for your rights and get tired. Our people will never get tired of trusting in God and will move forward to build a prosperous, free and independent Afghanistan. Soon, as my workload decreases, I will personally report the work to our honorable people".

Taliban kills 17 in congratulatory firing

On Friday, atleast 17 people were killed and 41 wounded in Kabul in a celebratory firing by the Taliban on Friday, as per local Afghan news agency TOLO News. The firing occurred after the Taliban claimed that they had taken control of the Panjshir valley and defeated the NRFA, which has been refuted by Saleh saying, "The Resistance is continuing and will continue. I am here with my soil, for my soil and defending its dignity".

Taliban has cut off the province's electricity and internet and laid a siege by blowing up bridges connecting the province, urging the Resistance to 'surrender peacefully'. In retaliation, the Resistance has liberated Charikar, Salang from the clutches of the Taliban, refusing to let Panjshir fall. Ex-President Hamid Karzai has urged both the Resistance and Taliban to hold talks and stop the offensive to avoid civilians' killing.  The US has completed evacuating over 130,000 Afghans from Kabul, retreating all its troops.

Taliban Takeover

The Taliban took over Kabul on August 15 after major cities like Kandahar, Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif, Jalalabad and Lashkar Gah fell without resistance as US troops retreat after 20 years from war-torn Afghanistan. The hasty withdrawal of the US troops saw thousands of people attempting to flee from Afghanistan with several clinging to a departing US plane's wheels, leading to them falling to their deaths.  The Taliban has finalised its talks for 'peaceful transition' as Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar gears up to lead the new government with Mullah Mohammad Omar's son Mullah Yakub and Abbas Stanekzai pipped to be in his cabinet.