Days after a delegation of 40 members of the Taliban met with the resistance forces led by Ahmad Massoud in Panjshir for negotiations, Mullah Amir Khan Motaqi, the head of Taliban’s commission for guidance and encouragement, said that their negotiations with tribal elders and leaders of the province failed.

According to Motaqi, the Taliban talked with tribal leaders of Panjshir in Parwan province but it failed to produce any outcome.

Motaqi is a prominent member of the Taliban who had also served as Minister of Information and Culture during the previous Taliban regime.

Mujahid expressed confidence that both sides would come to a solution without war in the Panjshir.

“We are in contact with people of Panjshir. We are in talks with the elders, influencers, and Jihadist commanders. The talks will soon solve the issue without war in Afghanistan. I am 80 per cent confident that there will not be a need to go to war and a peace agreement will be reached soon,” he had said.

On Wednesday, the Taliban told pro-Massoud fighters to lay down their arms after National Resistance Front (NRF) claimed to repulse heavy attacks in the valley.

The NRF comprising anti-Taliban militia fighters and former Afghan security forces have vowed to defend the province.

“My brothers, we tried our best to solve the Panjshir problem with talks and negotiations… but unfortunately all in vain,” senior Taliban official Amir Khan Muttaqi said, in an audio message to the people of the Panjshir posted on Twitter.

“Now that the talks have failed and Mujahidin (Taliban) have surrounded Panjshir, there are still people inside that don’t want the problems to be solved peacefully,” ANI quoted him as saying.

As per the local media reports, the Taliban insurgents attacked Panjshir last night but were defeated with NRF claiming that 34 Taliban members were killed and 65 were wounded.