Battle for Panjshir Valley continues, US general warns of civil war in Afghanistan

Clashes between the Taliban and resistance forces continued on Saturday as the Taliban tried to take control of the Panjshir valley, the last pocket of resistance in Afghanistan. 

As clashes between the Taliban and resistance forces continued, US General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has warned of a "civil war" if the Taliban fail to consolidate power. 

In the fight for Panjshir valley, both sides have claimed to have the upper hand but neither could produce conclusive evidence to prove it. The Taliban, which swept through the country ahead of the final withdrawal of US-led forces this week, were unable to control the valley when they ruled Afghanistan back in 1996-2001.

Taliban spokesman Bilal Karimi said the districts of Khinj and Unabah had been taken, giving Taliban control of four out of the seven districts in the province. 

"The Mujahideen [Taliban fighters] are advancing toward the centre [of the province]," he said on Twitter.

However, the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan, grouping forces loyal to local leader Ahmad Massoud, said it surrounded "thousands of terrorists" in Khawak pass and the Taliban had abandoned vehicles and equipment in the Dashte Rewak area.

Front spokesman Fahim Dashti added "heavy clashes" were going on.

In a Facebook post, Massoud insisted Panjshir "continues to stand strong". Praising "our honourable sisters", he said demonstrations by women in the western city of Herat calling for their rights showed Afghans had not given up demands for justice and "they fear no threats". 

US General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, underscored the tenuous situation.

"My military estimate is, is that the conditions are likely to develop of a civil war. I don't know if the Taliban are going to be able to consolidate power and establish governance," Milley said.

Speaking to Fox News from Ramstein Air Base in Germany, Milley said if the Taliban cannot consolidate power that will "in turn lead to a reconstitution of Al Qaeda or a growth of Daesh or another myriad of terrorist groups" over the next three years.

Emergency, an Italian medical aid organisation, said Taliban forces had pushed further into the Panjshir Valley on Friday night, reaching the village of Anabah where the group has medical facilities.

"We have received a small number of wounded people at the Anabah Surgical Centre," Emergency said in a statement, adding that many people fled in recent days.

It was not immediately possible to get further independent confirmation of events in Panjshir, which is walled off by mountains except for a narrow entrance.