Amrullah Saleh denies leaving Afghanistan, says his resistance against Taliban continuing

Some media reports quoted Taliban leaders as saying they have seized the Panjshir valley and were in control of entire Afghanistan. However, there is no official confirmation on the same.

Hyderabad: Amrullah Saleh, the 'caretaker' President of Afghanistan, refuted reports claiming he has fled the country amid Taliban claiming advances in Panjshir Valley north of Kabul. On Friday, he tweeted, "The RESISTANCE is continuing and will continue. I am here with my soil, for my soil & defending its dignity."

The self-proclaimed leader has termed media reports as 'totally baseless' in a video message reportedly sent to the BBC. Saleh is heard saying, "I am in the Panjshir valley. The reports concerning my escape from Afghanistan are totally baseless. No doubt, the situation is difficult. We have been under invasion of the Taliban, their Al Qaeda allies, terrorist groups from the region and beyond, as usual, backed by the Pakistanis. We have held the ground, we have resisted."

According to reports, the Taliban have claimed advances in Panjshir as they captured the centre of Shutul district along with 11 outposts and also inflicted a heavy toll on the opposition front. Rejecting the Taliban declaration, the Resistance denied the Islamic group's siege of Shutul district and said Taliban had suffered heavy casualties. The opposition front claimed to have killed at least 350 members of the Taliban while injuring 290 others.

Clashes erupted between Taliban and the Resistance movement on Thursday in Gulbahar, the entrance gate of Panjshir province - the only one not to have fallen to the Taliban - as political efforts failed to forge an agreement between the two sides. Reports say Taliban have joined hands with Al Qaeda to attack Panjshir Province.

Earlier, Saleh alleged that the Taliban are committing war crimes and "have zero respect for Human Rights of Afghans" and called on the international community to consider the 'barbaric acts' of the Taliban.

"Over the past 23 years since start of the Emergency Hospital we never blocked Talib access to it. Talibs are committing war crimes & have zero respect for IHL. We call on UN & world leaders to take notice of this clear criminal & terrorist behavior of the Talibs," Saleh tweeted.

Saleh's tweet

The Resistance - comprising former Afghan security force members and local militias - is led by Ahmad Massoud, the son of Afghan rebel commander Ahmad Shah Massoud, who fought the Soviets in the 1980s, and the Taliban in the 1990s.