RASC News Agency: Local sources in Baghlan province report a violent confrontation between Taliban fighters and the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRF), resulting in the death of a senior resistance commander. The National Resistance Front has not yet released an official statement regarding the incident or the loss of their commander. According to eyewitnesses, the clash erupted on Wednesday morning, September 3, in the Kahgaday Mountains of Nahrin district, when Taliban forces launched an aggressive assault on resistance positions. The engagement reportedly lasted approximately forty minutes. During the confrontation, Qayum Kahgaday, a prominent commander of the National Resistance Front, was killed. Sources also reported the deaths of two Taliban fighters and one additional injury among their ranks.
Baghlan province, situated in northern Afghanistan, has emerged as a critical bastion of resistance following the fall of Panjshir. NRF units are primarily deployed across the province’s mountainous districts, including Andarab, from where they regularly execute guerrilla-style operations against Taliban checkpoints and convoys. Over the past three years, the National Resistance Front has repeatedly clashed with Taliban forces throughout Baghlan and neighboring mountainous regions, including Panjshir and Nuristan. Leveraging local knowledge of the rugged terrain and employing sophisticated guerrilla tactics, NRF fighters have successfully repelled Taliban offensives and maintained control over strategically important areas. Despite this, Taliban numerical superiority and access to heavy weaponry have occasionally resulted in casualties and material losses among resistance forces.
The latest clash in the Kahgaday Mountains underscores the persistent instability and tension in northern Afghanistan. While the death of a commander may temporarily affect morale, historical precedent demonstrates that the NRF possesses the organizational resilience and local support necessary to reconstitute its ranks, sustain defensive operations, and continue protecting local communities. Analysts emphasize that the Taliban’s efforts to dominate these regions have consistently failed to dismantle entrenched resistance networks. The ongoing conflict has profound humanitarian implications. Civilians remain trapped between Taliban offensives and NRF defensive operations, facing escalating insecurity and restricted access to essential services. Limited media coverage and Taliban control over information further obscure the realities on the ground, exacerbating the vulnerability of local populations.
Experts warn that without sustained international attention and humanitarian assistance, the continuing clashes in northern Afghanistan could precipitate a major humanitarian crisis, disproportionately affecting children, women, and the elderly. Observers note that the NRF’s continued presence serves as both a symbol of defiance against Taliban oppression and a critical line of protection for civilians in areas otherwise neglected by the de facto authorities. In essence, the confrontation in Baghlan reflects the tenacity of the Afghanistan National Resistance, which continues to contest Taliban control, safeguard local populations, and preserve the possibility of a future free from the group’s authoritarian and repressive policies.
