Contradiction Between Taliban Words and Actions in Panjshir.
Mohammad Agha Hakim, the Taliban governor of Panjshir, has claimed that the Taliban’s policy is focused on serving the people.
He welcomed what he called the “support of Panjshir residents” and added that “enemies always try to discourage people by spreading rumors.”
However, a few months earlier, Hakim had explicitly stated that the presence of Taliban forces in Panjshir is higher than in any other province, and that the province must remain under “strict control” by the Taliban remarks that observers say reflect the Taliban’s security-focused approach toward Panjshir.
Panjshir is the only province in Afghanistan where night-time movement restrictions are enforced, and residents are not allowed to leave their homes without Taliban permission.
Despite being the smallest province by area, the Taliban have established hundreds of checkpoints, outposts, and bases in Panjshir, a presence that local residents say has made daily life extremely difficult and restrictive.
Although the Taliban continuously deny the existence of a resistance front in Panjshir, a powerful, swift, and well-planned attack deep inside one of their bases resulting in the deaths of several Taliban members in recent months has cast serious doubt on their claims.
Local sources say that the Taliban’s fear of expanding opposition activity explains the increased troop presence, military equipment, and tightened security controls in the province.
