Showing posts with label Panjshir-Valley. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Panjshir-Valley. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Panjshir Valley Ready for Taliban

The Tajiks from Panjshir Valley (known as Panjshiris) are well-known for being one of the longest holdouts against the Taliban regime. And before that, one of the fiercest guerrilla groups fighting the Soviet occupation. The terrain of the Panjshir Valley favors resistance to large fighting groups. The valley is 60 some miles long surrounded with mountains on each side. The mouth of the valley is constricted. The Soviets took a beating every time they tried to enter the valley. The Panjshir are awaiting the outcome of the Bilateral Security Agreement talks - with hope that the Afghan government signs the agreement and that the U.S. and other NATO allies will maintain a presence in Afghanistan beyond 2014. If no BSA is signed then the Panjshir Valley residents are resigned to a possible comeback of the Taliban or Afghan government negotiations with the Taliban that will bring about a power-sharing arrangement. The Panjshiris say they are ready and will fight the Taliban once again. Read more in "Recalling Past Threats, Afghans in Tranquil Valley Work to Keep It That Way", The New York Times, January 13, 2014.