A week after Afghan Vice-President Amurullah Saleh had released a video from Panjshir denying the reports that he has fled the valley, a Talib has been spotted at the same spot now. Saleh was seen sitting in front of a bookshelf while recording the video released on September 3. But now, a Talib brandishing an assault rifle in front of the same bookshelf has appeared on social media now, implying that the Taliban has now captured the place where Saleh was staying in Panjshir.
An exclusive photograph of the Taliban member sitting in front of the bookshelf was posted by Afghan media house Afghan Urdu on September 10.
The pro-Taliban media house wrote in its tweet in Urdu, “Taliban fighter Amrullah Saleh poses in front of a bookcase. Former Afghan Vice President Amrullah Saleh sat down and released a video message announcing that he would not leave the country and resist, but later fled to Tajikistan.”
On Friday, a Pakistani journalist by the name of Hamza Azhar Salam had cited ‘pro-Taliban’ accounts to inform that the radical Islamists had entered the said library in the Panjsher province of Afghanistan. “Pro Taliban accounts are sharing this picture claiming that Talibans have entered the library where Amrullah Saleh sent a video message a few days ago.”
Video message by former Afghan Vice President
On September 3, Amrullah Saleh had dismissed reports about him escaping from Afghanistan, following the fall of Kabul at the hands of the Taliban. The former Afghan Vice-President had said, “I am in the Panjshir Valley. The reports concerning my escape from Afghanistan are totally baseless. I am here. We have had several meetings regarding the situation. No doubt, the situation has been difficult. We are under invasion by the Taliban, their Al-Qaeda allies, terrorist groups from the region and beyond and as usual backed by the Pakistanis.”
A video message sent to us @BBCWorld from one of the leaders of the anti-Taliban resistance, fmr VP @AmrullahSaleh2 who says they’re under attack from terrorists and points the finger of blame at Pakistan. Pakistan of course deny they support Taliban forces #Panjshir #Afghanistan pic.twitter.com/w3e6GnrRXi
— Yalda Hakim (@BBCYaldaHakim) September 3, 2021
He further added, “We have held the ground. We have resisted. The resistance is not going to surrender or bow to terrorism. It is going to continue. They are all difficulties but I have not fled or escaped. I want to assure you through this video that everything said about me having fled/escaped is baseless.” While responding to his own video message on Twitter, Saleh said, “The RESISTANCE is continuing and will continue. I am here with my soil, for my soil & defending its dignity.” The picture of the Talib at the same location as Amrullah Saleh had raised concerns about the latter’s safety.
Taliban killed brother of Amrullah Saleh
The Taliban has killed Rohullah Saleh, brother of Afghan resistance leader Amrullah Saleh, India Today had earlier reported. The Taliban had announced on the 6th of September that they have managed to gain control of the Panjshir Valley. The resistance forces, however, had claimed that they were still fighting the Jihadist group. Soon after, the Taliban destroyed the tomb of the Late Guerilla Commander Ahmad Shah Massoud in the Panjshir Province.
After the Taliban took over Kabul, Ahmad Massoud, son of Ahmad Shah Massoud, along with Amrullah Saleh had reportedly fled to Panjshir valley to continue the Resistance against Taliban occupation. Panjshir Valley remained the last bastion of the Northern Alliance and all the Anti-Taliban fighters.
