Taliban indulges in 'celebratory' firing in Kabul claiming win over Panjshir; 17 killed

As Taliban prepares to announce its new government, 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 National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRFA). This has now been busted by the Resistance led by ex-Vice President Amrullah Saleh and Ahmad Massoud.

Taliban kills 17 in congratulatory firing

Taking to Twitter, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah instructed his soldiers to avoid shooting and not 'waste them' as they would harm civilians. 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. 

Rebuffing the Taliban's 'victory claims', the Northern Resistance's leader  Amrullah Saleh confirmed that he is still in Panjshir saying, "The Resistance is continuing and will continue. I am here with my soil, for my soil and defending its dignity". Saleh added that the Taliban is doing racial profiling and forcing 'military age men' of Panjshir to walk on minefields, apart from blocking phone lines, electricity and access to medicines. He called on the United Nations and other world leaders to take note of the "criminal and terrorist behaviour of Talibs", backed by Pakistan.

While protests have sprung across Afghanistan against the Taliban, many locals are afraid to leave their houses. The Taliban held a victory parade featuring their weapons, advanced military equipment, explosives, vehicles, and helicopters -  most of which were either seized from the Afghan troops, the US military or procured from affiliated terrorist organizations. 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.