Hyderabad: The last few days showcased photographs and videos of Afghans fleeing their country after the Taliban seized power in the country, in a bloodless coup. While the transition of power was smooth with nearly no opposition, reports of resistance among people in certain provinces have emerged.
In one of the videos that has emerged online, a group of Afghans took the streets on Wednesday to resist the government formation of the Taliban while carrying the national flag of Afghanistan as a symbolic form of protest. A couple of days after citizens fled from Afghanistan fearing the Taliban, new scenes shed light on how the geography is showing signs of public resistance against the usurping of power here and there.
What followed the people’s resistance was scenes of violence in the provinces of Nangarhar and Khost from the Taliban. A report by the Tolonews, a major news outlet in Afghanistan, reported that one civilian was killed in Nangarhar province’s Jalalabad in the conflict between the people and the Taliban.
A local resident told Tolonews that he was willing to lay down his life for the national flag. The Taliban have disavowed the national flag of Afghanistan and propose to come up with their own soon. A resident of Kunar, Tahzibullah said, “We hoisted our flag in the center of the bazaar, our national flag is our national identity,”
Women clad in burkas took the streets of Kabul on Wednesday with placards demanding their right to education, work, and inclusion in government formation. While the Taliban has stated their willingness to include more women, the show of resistance by the women calls into question the validity of the Taliban’s claim.
Panjshir rises in revolt
Aside from the symbolism, the Panjshir valley, located in the north of Kabul is worth noting as it has blossomed into the epicenter of resistance against the insurgency. The Panjshir resistance, also known as the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan is led by Ahmad Massoud, Amrullah Saleh, Bismillah Khan Mohammadi. Amrullah Saleh has currently called for nations to unite against the Taliban’s rule.
Consisting of the largest concentration of ethnic Tajiks, the location of Panjshir province makes the area a natural fortress. The valley has in the past, resisted the Soviets in the 1980s and Taliban in the 1990s and is yet to be conquered by any power.
The scenes coming out of select areas of Afghanistan while small and seemingly insignificant, come with the promise of more people’s movements unraveling themselves in the country and it is yet to be seen what the clash between Taliban and the citizens will result in.