Kyodo, Islamabad
The Taliban declared the war in Afghanistan over Monday after claiming to have wiped out the last pocket of armed resistance, while they vowed to form a new government soon.
“War has ended,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told a press conference in Kabul, local broadcaster TOLONews reported three weeks after the group swept to power in the Afghan capital.
His remarks came just hours after the Taliban announced its forces had completely captured Panjshir, a small, mountainous valley province northeast of Kabul, from opposition forces led by Ahmad Massoud.
But the opposition forces, which call themselves the National Resistance Front, earlier denied the Taliban claim, saying in a Twitter post that they “continue the fight” from strategic positions across the valley.
Massoud, in a message to the nation posted later Monday on Twitter, issued a call for a general uprising throughout Afghanistan.
“Stand up, seize the moment, and accept our call for resistance! For those who want to take up arms, we are with you. For those who will resort to protests, we will stand next to you, and will join you,” he said.
The Taliban was previously in power between 1996 and 2001, before being ousted by a US-led invasion in the months after the September 11 terrorist attacks orchestrated by al-Qaeda, which was then under the protection of the Afghan group.
The seizure of Panjshir, the last holdout among 34 provinces, would complete the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan. They captured Kabul on August 15, two weeks ahead of the withdrawal of the last US and NATO troops.
Mujahid, the Taliban spokesman, said the group initially wanted to resolve the issue of Panjshir via dialogue with the resistance forces, but the talks failed.
Massoud, for his part, accused the Taliban of ignoring Islamic clerics’ call for a ceasefire and negotiations, and instead of initiating “a full-scale military offensive on people which led to numerous victims.”
The Taliban media showed a video of the Taliban flag being raised at the alleged Panjshir governor’s office.
The province has historically been difficult to capture, and the Taliban were unable to control it when they were previously in power.
On the future government, Mujahid said it would be announced soon but would likely act as a caretaker government to usher in changes and reforms, according to TOLONews. He said he would be an Islamic and accountable government.
When asked about the fate of the Afghan security forces, Mujahid reportedly responded that those trained in the last 20 years would be asked to rejoin security departments alongside Taliban forces.
On Afghanistan’s foreign relations, Mujahid said the Taliban wants good relations with the world, especially with China as it is a big economic power and it can help Afghanistan in reconstruction and development, the local broadcaster reported.
