Thread by @AFG_Resistance

#TheBattleOfPanjshir How desperate a group of men have to be to search the war museum for working fighting machines. We opened the old containers meant to serve as a make shift museums to our past glorious, looking for anything to wake up so it could fire gain just one more time.

#Panjshir was the safest province of Afghanistan hence the Afghan army didn't have any substantial presence. The men of Panjshir were busy fighting in the four corners of our land. We were like an old rusty boxer called from retirement to face the new enemy at the gates.

Event happened too fast and we were cornered within weeks of #Taliban launching their final offensive. We had no time to prepare and any resources we had were sent to Takhar province to hold off the Taliban advance. Nobody expected Taliban to give a new definition to #Blitzkrieg.

By 1st of September it was clear that we will not be getting any help form outside. Taliban were essentially holding Americans hostage in order for them not to help us. Americans would not risk antagonising the Taliban when they knew the war was already lost.

We were completely blockaded and had the Americans helped us, it had to be continuous throughout the winter until spring when we could finally break the blockade and link up with Tajikistan through Badakhshan province with the help of local forces. This was not realistic to them.

A few drops over a few day would not have made any difference in the final outcome. I understand the American position. Their approach was "We helped you for 20 years, another 6 months wouldn't make any difference." From our understanding, they were completely fatigued of our war

Before the final assault, there was negotiation happening behind the scenes, but nobody really believed in a positive outcome. The gap was too big on women's rights & democracy. #Taliban approach was "Put down your arms now, we will drive together to Kabul and fix something."

As the battle was about to begin, there was fierce debate on how to approach it. Some argued for a complete withdrawal to the mountains, taking with us our equipment.Some argued for a final showdown to restore the honour of the Afghan Army. In the end the middle ground was agreed

We adopted a RETROGRADE defence whereby we will effectively withdraw to the mountains whilst delivering the maximum damage to the Taliban forces with minimum casualties to our own side. This was adopted for 2 reasons.
1. We must preserve ourselves for future resistance.

2. Fight with an aggressive withdrawal in mind as to not dishonour the memories of the great man resting in the valley. We achieved this to the letter. If you know your military A-Z we were doomed the moment we were surrounded. Nobody expected Kabul to fall within 3 weeks.

According to our estimates, Taliban attacked with a force of approximately 10,000 men. They attacked from South and North of the valley simultaneously. In the second day of the battle, we were fighting in a 360 degree battlefield In some places. The fighting was fierce and wild.

We tried to outflank them with pincer movement over the valleys, but we were simply outgunned and outnumbered. Taliban were fascinated with #Panjshir and were pushing hard with total disregard for their own life's to capture it. They paid for every inch of their advance

When the fighting reached the outskirts of Bazarak, the provincial capital of #Panjshir, we damaged the helicopters in the sport stadium. We lowered one of our flags from the main square as to raise it back at some point in the future when we liberate panjshir.

Bazarak was the last provincial capital to fall. With the fall of Bazarak, the Republic of Afghanistan officially ceased to exist. The next morning when we woke up in the peaks after a cold night, we were no longer members of the #Afghan Army, but insurgents to the new government

Although Taliban control all the district's of Panjshir, they won't be able to control all the valleys within #PanjshirValley. The few thousand men that remains can be a potent force from spring 2022. By then we will have the resistance forces operational throughout North.

In my home province now. Difficult decision to leave my brother's, but the right decision. We left Panjshir carrying the torch of resistance. No one province should take the full brunt of #Taliban oppression.The sacrifices must be shared equally between all the northern provinces

We are hoping to shower #Talibans with love throughout the North. Whenever the pressure gets too much in one front, new fronts should be opened to stretch them and lift the suffering. Task ahead is difficult and will take time. We have the patience and the will.