NRF Accuses Taliban Regime of Imposing Military Siege on Panjshir Valley

The National Resistance Front (NRF) has accused the Taliban regime of subjecting Afghanistan’s Panjshir Valley to an extensive military siege, alleging that the deployment of thousands of personnel and hundreds of checkpoints reflects a policy of hostility towards the region.

Abdullah Khanjani, head of political affairs and spokesperson for the NRF, said the Taliban regime had established approximately 700 checkpoints across Panjshir. He alleged that around 30,000 personnel had been deployed to the valley over fears of resistance, with between 30 and 40 fighters stationed at each checkpoint.

Khanjani further alleged that fighters had been brought from southern Afghanistan and deployed in Panjshir. He described the concentration of security personnel in the valley as unusually high, arguing that the number of forces deployed there exceeded those stationed at some border checkpoints.

In a statement, the NRF said Panjshir had faced an exceptional level of military pressure, restrictions and coercion. The group also accused the Taliban authorities of targeting the region’s identity and alleged that Panjshir residents continued to face killings and other forms of violence.

The NRF described the Taliban’s approach towards Panjshir as a continuation of hostility against the region and warned that it would respond to what it characterised as discriminatory policies.

Panjshir has historically been associated with resistance movements against Taliban rule. The region remains politically significant in Afghanistan, where opposition groups have continued to challenge the Taliban authorities since their return to power in 2021.

The figures regarding checkpoints, personnel deployments and alleged abuses were presented by the NRF and could not be independently verified from the information provided. No response from the Taliban authorities was included in the supplied material.