Anti-Taliban forces claim to have taken three districts in North Afghanistan

Anti-Taliban forces camped in northern Afghanistan have claimed that they have taken control of three districts in the region close to the Panjshir valley.

The news was shared by Defence Minister General Bismillah Mohammadi on Twitter. He tweeted that the districts of Deh Saleh, Bano, and Pul-Hesar in the neighbouring province of Baghlan to the north of Panjshir are under the control of the anti-Taliban group.

A local police commander told the local TV station, Tolo News that the Bano district in Baghlan is under the control of the local militia. He added that the incident left heavy casualties. It is not clear what forces were involved. But it adds to scattered indications that there has been opposition to the Taliban.

There have been demonstrations of protests in the eastern cities and Kabul as well. Protestors raised the Afghan flag in Kabul. So far, there is no evidence of coordination or connections between the protests.

However, the Taliban haven't responded to the incident yet.

Former Vice President Amrullah Saleh, former anti-Soviet Mujahideen commander Ahmad Shah Massoud, and his son Ahmad Massoud have vowed to resist the Taliban from Panjshir, reported Reuters. Ahmad Shah Massoud led the efforts which evicted both Soviet forces and the Taliban back in the 1980s and 1990s.

Sources say that remnant of the army, Special Forces units and local militia groups together have made up over 6,000 fighters in the Valley. They are also allegedly in possession of repaired helicopters, military vehicles, and armoured vehicles left behind by the Soviets.