Afghanistan's self-declared 'caretaker' President Amrullah Saleh on Tuesday, 24 August, came on Twitter to bring attention to the human rights violations in the northern Baghlan province's Andarab Valley, accusing Taliban of cutting off the supply of food and fuel in the region.
He tweeted, "The humanitarian situation is dire. Thousands of women and children have fled to the mountains. Since the last two days the Taliban have been abducting children and elderly, and are using them as shields to move around or do house search."
Andarab region had reportedly witnessed glimmers of resistance against the Taliban regime. Further, in the anti-Taliban bastion Panjshir valley, Ahman Massoud is leading the resistance against the occupation. On Monday, 23 August, Saleh had cautioned Taliban militants against entering the Panjshir region.
"Talibs have massed forces near the entrance of Panjshir a day after they got trapped in ambush zones of neighbouring Andarab valley and hardly went out in one piece. Meanwhile, the Salang highway is closed by the forces of the Resistance. 'There are terrains to be avoided'. See you," he wrote on Twitter.
Taliban's spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid had earlier tweeted that the militant organisation's fighters are "stationed near Panjshir" in a bid to arrive at a resolution in a "peaceful" manner, Hindustan Times reported.
Meanwhile, the United Nations agencies have urged for the setting up of a "humanitarian airbridge" to facilitate unhindered delivery of essential medical supplies, news agency ANI reported.
The WHO Regional Director Richard Brennan has said that the agency is unable to deliver 500 tonnes of medical supplies to the war-torn country.
"The massive humanitarian needs facing the majority of the population should not – and cannot – be neglected," the agency has iterated, ANI reported.
(With inputs from ANI and Hindustan Times)
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