Taliban militants have laid siege to resistance forces in Panjshir province and are preparing to negotiate, Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid tweeted.

Earlier on Monday, an Afghan journalist reported that the Taliban had re-taken control of the Puli Khesar, Deh Salah, and Banu areas in the Afghan province of Baghlan, beating them off from the resistance forces.

On Sunday, August 22, the Taliban gave resistance leader Ahmad Massoud four hours to surrender. He noted that the inhabitants of Panjshir are ready to resist, as in the days of the Soviet military presence, and will not surrender the territory.

Massoud, son of the late Northern Alliance head Ahmad Shah Massoud, who also fought Taliban militants, noted that the Taliban rejected negotiations with the resistance, although, he said, the resistance just wants to end the war in Afghanistan and is seeking dialogue.

On August 19, resistance fighters in the non-Taliban province of Panjshir asked Western countries to help them with weapons. The head of the resistance, Ahmad Massoud, said that the Afghan army fighters who are heading to Panjshir with weapons and equipment have already responded to his call.

Panjshir is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan with a population of more than 140 thousand people and the most difficult terrain. The main forces of NATO troops, led by the United States, were based in the province.

The Taliban failed to capture the Panjshir Gorge even 25 years ago when they came to power in 1996: the leader of the Northern Alliance, Ahmad Shah Massoud, resisted them, gaining a foothold in this province.