We had to go through this path with all the fatigue and inevitability. A young man was wounded among us, whom we, fortunately, took with us, but two of our experienced commanders disappeared, about whom I still do not know anything. The exact number of enemy casualties is unknown.
Author: Fazl Ahmad Manavi
former Minister of Justice of Afghanistan
The second part
HARD RESISTANCE
With the beginning of fierce fighting and attacks by the Taliban, the former Mujahideen shone the most. During the multi-day battle, a large Taliban army equipped with binoculars (night vision devices) mainly fought at night and prepared for the next offensive during the day. Since most of the resistance fighters did not have night vision goggles, some of our elite mujahideen became martyrs.
For several nights in a row, the Taliban were defeated with heavy losses. Their forces fled the battlefield and received the bodies of their dead through the mediation of local residents. Nevertheless, since their troops were recruited from 33 provinces of Afghanistan, they never paid attention to their losses and entered the battlefield with fresh forces.
On the other hand, the shutdown of telephone communications by the enemy dealt a serious blow to the defensive order of the front, and since the front communications system was still in operation, we encountered serious communication problems. Nevertheless, despite the fatigue, our resistance courageously defended the barricades and continued to fight.
Unfortunately, the first line of defense was broken through in Andrab (Havak pass). We were all involved there when the Darband line was breached due to the loss of a gigantic defensive tank and our defensive lines on Mount Shutul were badly damaged by the heavy blows of the enemy.
The resistance forces were forced to retreat after a long erosive standoff. The leaders of the Resistance Front, having consulted with each other, decided not to create a line of defense on the main road, but to surrender it to the enemy by an erosional war and at the same time create fortifications in the side valleys.
The enemy used heavy weapons, including DC cannons, to inflict more civilian casualties, slowly advancing into the valley, taking cover by civilians and their homes. Enveloping both sides of the main road within a radius of half a kilometer, he continued to advance until, with heavy losses on both sides of the Panjshir and the main road, he reached the center of the province.
The resistance forces retreated into the side valleys, but a large number of war-torn families and their flight into these valleys made fighting difficult, if not impossible. In many valleys, the villagers, fearing the killing of women and children, prevented our troops from fighting.
Despite all this, the enemy suffered losses, and the resistance managed to retreat into the mountains, using the tactics of fight and flight. Each of the leaders, who had no connection with each other, were forced to retreat into the side valleys and, eventually, into the mountains.
The lack of food, the cold of the high slopes at night, and the scorching heat during the day forced families to overcome impassable mountain passes through Salangov to get out of Panjshir. This route was unbearably tiring for everyone, especially for the elderly and those who did not experience hiking in the mountains.
Terror and brutal killings of the Taliban forced them to endure these hardships. Some fighters could not leave their families and, refusing to fight, accompanied them after the end of the war.
The Taliban carried out brutal and unprovoked killings in the valleys, taking advantage of disruptions in the telecommunications system and lack of access to information.
Photo: Fazlahmad Manavi with resistance fighters. September 2021.
LIFE ON HIGH BARRICADES
I also went to the mountains, sleepless and tired, with a few resistance fighters who had not eaten in days. Although the resistance stubbornly continued to solve all the problems in the mountains, the lack of food and sanitation was overwhelming for people unfamiliar with the situation.
If we could buy goats or sheep from shepherds to satisfy our hunger, raw materials and cooking utensils such as butter and onions were not available. Soap and toothpaste were even considered common things.
I did not take anything out of the house, except for the clothes that I was wearing, (the Taliban occupied my personal house on the first day they entered the area and set up headquarters).
However, as time went on, the weather became colder; life in the mountains became more and more difficult for us. The tyranny and terror of the Taliban terrified the residents of the villages who sheltered us. They often refused to cook us food or sell dairy products, and most of all they wanted us to leave as soon as possible so as not to harm them.
They had the right to do so because if the fire of war broke out on these heights, the Taliban would ruthlessly shell all their tents and torture them themselves. Therefore, we always tried not to be in the same area for more than one night.
Once we spent two nights in a row in one of the summer aylaks. A resident of Ailak sent his family out, fearing that the Taliban was persecuting us. With the departure of this family, at an altitude of 3500 meters above sea level, we ran out of food supplies, and the resistance fighters spent the next night hungry.
The next night, we sent two comrades to the villages for bread. We advised them to return before the end of the night or at dawn, so as not to fall into the trap of the Taliban.
We took refuge on the side of the mountain (under a canvas of large stone) in the bitter cold of that night. The exhaustion of daily mountain walking made it possible to sleep despite the cold, but washing in cold mountain water for night and morning prayers was a controversial issue among the fighters. Some of the comrades argued that if the Great Imam (r) were alive, he would have issued a fatwa tayammum (mud washing) in such a situation.
The night ended, and our people did not return. When dawn broke and the cold morning wind blew, our fears that they had been taken prisoner intensified. As soon as the sun rose and it got a little warmer while waiting for the two comrades, we sat down by the stream with grass and began to interpret our disturbing dreams to each other.
AMBUSH
While we were waiting for our comrades, one of our companions, who had an inexpensive camera with him and looked around with it, said: “I see a man at the bottom of a mountain peak, who has black clothes and in his hands something like a walkie-talkie antenna.” Everyone laughed at him. We did not expect the presence of the Taliban at such an altitude (almost 4000 meters).
It was believed that the villagers were looking for weapons hidden by the defeated troops. The observer, however, insisted that their number increased by the minute and that their clothes were not like those of the villagers.
In the midst of this conversation, comrades quickly but hastily arrived with a pack of stale bread. Ignoring our greetings, they yelled: "Get out of here immediately, your place has been established, and the Taliban are coming from three directions." Apparently, someone reported our whereabouts.
According to the residents of the village, about 300 fighters of the enemy's offensive group came out from their base at about twelve o'clock in the morning in our direction. The number of our resistance fighters was 25-30 people. The observer, who every minute reported to us about the approach and increase in the number of the enemy, likened them to professional climbers. Later it turned out that the Taliban hired the Gujar tribes to capture us for a reward.
After consulting with our companions, we went to the top of the mountain so that the aylak would not suffer during the conflict and the main point would be in our hands. We determined the position and armament of the enemy, who, fortunately, did not have time to transfer heavy and light-heavy weapons to this height.
Since we did not have enough ammunition, I instructed that when the conflict began, the comrades would fire single shots in order to save patrons.
Among us was one of the famous cultural figures who accompanied us with a young guard from his family. He is at least seven or eight years older than I am. Although he encouraged others to endure hardships and hope for the future with high spirits, without fear, and with full courage, he was physically unable to walk in the mountains himself. As the enemy approached, I was very worried about him. I was sure that he would not be able to climb high and still had to leave the battlefield. I told him to move with his bodyguard to the left of the foothills that led to the Tavakh valley, and we headed towards Orzu Peak on the heights.
In the photo: Apparently, the "great cultural figure", whose name Manavi does not mention (and is next to him in the photo), is Hafiz Mansour, a well-known journalist and the first minister of information and culture of the government of Hamid Karzai, the former head of the news agency " Bakhtar, Director of Radio and Television of Afghanistan. Mansour has reached the Iranian city of Mashhad. Now he heads the culture committee of the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRFA).
Soon the battle began, and the enemy brutally fired at us. Although the pressure of the battle was on us, since my intellectual friend was closer to the enemy's goal, I thought that I had lost my old friend, one of the scientists and intellectuals of the country. I told my comrades to try to distract the enemy so that if our friend was still alive, he could get to safety. In the end, after about half an hour of fighting, we managed to climb to the top and take a position there, but we were all very worried about our friend and his bodyguard, who was his nephew.
The enemy fired at our previous location and stopped firing as our combat position improved. It was clear that they were waiting for their comrades on the other two sides to continue their attack. We stayed there for about 40 minutes and waited for news of the fate of our two companions, but the news never came.
Two of the commanders accompanying us due to a lack of ammunition insisted on leaving the area before the enemy arrived. Nevertheless, I insisted on fighting to save those two or to avenge their martyrdom. In those moments, I thought about martyrdom, but I did not want to give up the barricade to the enemy.
In the end, I was forced to leave the summit due to the pressure of my comrades, and we retreated again to the neighboring hill, which was half an hour away. At this time, two people approached with two donkeys from Salang. I asked them to find our two comrades and transfer them (dead or alive) in exchange for any amount of money they wanted. The riders agreed.
At that moment, two young people from the ailaks, angry and scolding us, arrived with a message from the Taliban. They said: they beat us and sent us to you with a demand to surrender. We laughed and told the messengers to go and try not to fall into the hands of the enemy.
We all moved on to land on the river of Orzu Peak and spend the night at one of the other camps. At that time we made a mistake, and it consisted in the fact that we did not oblige any of our companions to stand on duty.
Before we had reached the end of the mountain slope for more than half an hour, we were attacked from behind by another enemy strike group and we were actually ambushed.
In the first moments, dozens of bullets flew over our heads, and we were able to take up positions behind the boulders and fire at the enemy, but the position of the enemy was better in combat terms. Under intense and incessant enemy fire, we were forced to retreat to the foot of the mountain.
I insisted on fighting again, but my comrades were no longer willing to continue in my presence. They emphasized that you are the main target of the enemy and if you are harmed, it will be a privilege for them.
I had to accept. Two were watching the enemy, and we left the area towards Salanga. Those who are familiar with the area know that there is a very long and difficult path.
We had to go through this path with all the fatigue and inevitability. A young man was wounded among us, whom we, fortunately, took with us, but two of our experienced commanders disappeared, about whom I still do not know anything. The exact number of enemy casualties is unknown.
Toward evening, we went to the square, where there were several local houses. We asked them to help us spend the night, to which they reluctantly agreed. However, their condition was that before the complete darkness of the night, we had to hide far from the area, and then enter their house.
That night, after conferring, I allowed all my companions to hide where they could. Two men were assigned to transport the wounded and one accompanied me.
The next day we went to the Salang Mountains. After seven hours of non-stop driving, we reached a safe area and spent several nights there. One of my legs was injured during the war among the rocks, which I treated with local methods.
In this area, I had the opportunity to call my family and the front, using the number of one of the local residents, to convince them that I was alive.
I also contacted Young Amir (Ahmad Massoud), the leader of the Resistance, who was completely unaware of our fate. Amir saw fit to move me to a safer place, and with the measures and means he had, I was moved to a safe place with difficulties that I do not mention for security reasons.
Now I am in touch with all the leaders and friends and will spare no effort for the freedom and peace of the Afghan people.
Undoubtedly, pride belongs to those who, with steadfastness and honesty, follow the path of God and the dignity of their people and country.
We will continue our fight with full will and strong faith to protect our land and free people from oppression.
Life is a divine gift that only makes sense when a person fights for freedom, independence, support for the oppressed, and shortening the arm of the oppressor.
From a young age, I embarked on the path of fighting for God and serving the people of God, and I will not stop fighting as long as God pleases. The end of the oppressor is inevitable.
