Summary for Monday, 6th September
As we've been reporting, there have been competing claims as resistance fighters deny the Taliban's claims that its fighters have seized Panjshir. Here's what you need to know about the area.
Panjshir, a rugged mountain valley, is home to between 150,000 and 200,000 people. It was a centre of resistance when Afghanistan was under Soviet occupation in the 1980s and during the Taliban's previous period of rule, between 1996 and 2001.
The long, deep and dusty valley stretches about 75 miles (120km) - south-west to north-east - to the north of the Afghan capital Kabul. It is protected by high mountain peaks - rising 9,800ft (3,000m) above the valley floor. They are an imposing natural barrier - protection for the people living there.
There is only one narrow road in, which winds its way between large rocky outcrops and the meandering Panjshir River.
"There is a mythical aspect to the entire area. It's not just one valley. Once you get into it there are at least another 21 sub valleys connected," says Shakib Sharifi, who lived there as a child, but left Afghanistan after the Taliban took control.
At the far end of the main valley, a trail leads up to the 4,430m (14,534ft) Anjoman Pass and heads further east into the Hindu Kush mountains. The armies of Alexander the Great and Tamerlane - the last of the great nomadic conquerors of Central Asia - both passed this way.
You can read more about the valley here.
"Panjshir province completely fell to the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan," the Islamist militant group's spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said.
"With this victory and latest efforts our country has come out of the whirlpool of the war and our people will have a happy life in peace, liberty and freedom in the entire country.”
Pictures on social media showed Taliban fighters in front of the gate of the provincial governor's compound. The BBC has not been able to independently verify them.
However, the resistance fighters have denied that the area has been captured.
"It is not true, the Taliban haven't captured Panjshir I am rejecting Taliban claims," Ali Maisam, spokesman for the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRF), told the BBC.
The NRF also denied the Taliban's claims in a post on Twitter.
"The struggle against the Taliban & their partners will continue until justice & freedom prevails," they said.
You can read more on this here
- The Taliban say they are in complete control of the Afghan province of Panjshir
- The valley "has been cleared today completely", a spokesman told a news conference in Kabul
- Pictures on social media show Taliban fighters in front of the gate of the provincial governor's compound
- But fighters resisting Taliban rule have disputed Taliban claims and say fighting continues
- As recently as Sunday, their leader Ahmad Massoud had said he was open to peace talks
- The Taliban took control of the rest of Afghanistan three weeks ago, following the collapse of the Western-backed government
- They are expected to announce who will be in their government soon
Welcome back to our live coverage
We'll be bringing you all the latest updates from Afghanistan. Here are some of the biggest developments:- The Taliban claim they are now in complete control of Panjshir Valley - the final pocket of territory that has remained outside their rule
- This has, however, been disputed by resistance fighters, who say they are still present in "all strategic locations"
- Internet and phone lines in the area are cut off
- The Taliban are expected to give a press conference later
- UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths has met Taliban leaders and urged them to protect all civilians, especially women, girls and minorities
- According to the UN, 18 million Afghans, nearly half of the population, are in need of humanitarian assistance
- Witnesses told the BBC that Taliban militants killed a policewoman in Firozkoh, the capital of central Ghor province. The Taliban said they were investigating
The story of Afghanistan’s 'undefeated' valley
As we've been reporting, there have been competing claims as resistance fighters deny the Taliban's claims that its fighters have seized Panjshir. Here's what you need to know about the area.
Panjshir, a rugged mountain valley, is home to between 150,000 and 200,000 people. It was a centre of resistance when Afghanistan was under Soviet occupation in the 1980s and during the Taliban's previous period of rule, between 1996 and 2001.
The long, deep and dusty valley stretches about 75 miles (120km) - south-west to north-east - to the north of the Afghan capital Kabul. It is protected by high mountain peaks - rising 9,800ft (3,000m) above the valley floor. They are an imposing natural barrier - protection for the people living there.
There is only one narrow road in, which winds its way between large rocky outcrops and the meandering Panjshir River.
"There is a mythical aspect to the entire area. It's not just one valley. Once you get into it there are at least another 21 sub valleys connected," says Shakib Sharifi, who lived there as a child, but left Afghanistan after the Taliban took control.
At the far end of the main valley, a trail leads up to the 4,430m (14,534ft) Anjoman Pass and heads further east into the Hindu Kush mountains. The armies of Alexander the Great and Tamerlane - the last of the great nomadic conquerors of Central Asia - both passed this way.
You can read more about the valley here.
What have the two sides said about Panjshir?
As we mentioned in our opening post, the Taliban claim they have now taken control of Panjshir Valley, completing their takeover of the country."Panjshir province completely fell to the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan," the Islamist militant group's spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said.
"With this victory and latest efforts our country has come out of the whirlpool of the war and our people will have a happy life in peace, liberty and freedom in the entire country.”
Pictures on social media showed Taliban fighters in front of the gate of the provincial governor's compound. The BBC has not been able to independently verify them.
However, the resistance fighters have denied that the area has been captured.
"It is not true, the Taliban haven't captured Panjshir I am rejecting Taliban claims," Ali Maisam, spokesman for the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRF), told the BBC.
The NRF also denied the Taliban's claims in a post on Twitter.
"The struggle against the Taliban & their partners will continue until justice & freedom prevails," they said.
You can read more on this here