Caught on camera: Taliban kill 40 Afghanistan resistance fighters in Panjshir

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The Taliban claimed on Tuesday (September 13) that the regime's forces had killed at least 40 resistance fighters led by the son of a late anti-Taliban commander in northern Panjshir province.

Panjshir Valley is famous for being the centre of the Afghan resistance against Soviet forces in the 1980s and later against the Taliban.

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The National Resistance Front (NRF) were the last to hold out against the Taliban's takeover of the country in August last year by retreating to the valley.

The resistance forces are led by the son of Ahmad Shah Massoud. In May, NRF forces announced an offensive against the Taliban.

Scores of civilians had fled the valley in the initial bout of fighting, but there has been a lull in recent weeks.

Fresh fighting has erupted in the valley in the past few days, according to residents and the insurgent group.

Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed 40 NRF fighters, including three commanders, had been killed by Taliban forces.

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"Sweeping clearance operations were conducted against the rebels in Rukha, Dara and Abshar district of Panjshir province," Mujahid said on Twitter, adding that another 101 insurgents had been arrested.

He did not say when the NRF fighters were actually killed.

NRF, though, said the Taliban was exaggerating the number of fighters killed.

"We refute the numbers. They have inflated the numbers," Ali Nazary, head of NRF's foreign relations, told AFP.

"Only a small group of our forces were captured and killed by the Taliban. Our forces fought fiercely till the last bullet."

(With inputs from agencies)

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