Mohammad Hakim Agha, the Taliban-appointed governor of Panjshir, has confirmed that the group has deployed more forces in this province than in any other part of Afghanistan. In an interview with the BBC, he stated that it is a matter of “strategic necessity” to maintain what he called “Islamic rule” and security by keeping Panjshir under tight control.
He said the increased military deployment is meant to ensure that “foreign-based opposition cells” are eliminated. Despite his claims, Agha admitted there are no active anti-Taliban forces physically present in Panjshir, alleging instead that opposition figures operate from abroad through “Facebook activity.”
Dismissing reports and videos of resistance fighters in the province, he claimed that such footage is “fabricated” and filmed in foreign locations resembling Panjshir. Agha accused opposition groups of plotting to open a new front in the province but insisted that “the situation is fully under control, and no one can make a move.”
He attributed the Taliban’s heavy presence to Panjshir’s past as a stronghold of armed resistance, stating that “warlords and conflict merchants” have historically been more active there than in other regions. According to Agha, Taliban forces were deployed to prevent Panjshir from once again becoming a base for organized resistance.
He accused exiled opposition members of trying to fund “war projects” through foreign support and maintained that the people of Panjshir are satisfied with the strict security measures. He claimed locals do not speak out publicly for fear of being labeled “traitors.”
Agha further alleged that opponents abroad have contacted Panjshiri religious scholars and elders—some of whom are now aligned with or part of the Taliban regime—urging them to step down from their positions. He concluded by saying that the people of Panjshir are “completely content” with Taliban rule.
