A New Northern Alliance Against The Taliban Is Forming In Afghanistan’s Panjshir Valley

While the Taliban now controls virtually all of Afghanistan, including the country's capital, Kabul, one region, the Panjshir Valley, remains outside of the group's tightening grip. Now, a resistance movement is forming there, led by, among others, Amrullah Saleh, who had been First Vice President of Afghanistan until the collapse of the internationally-recognized government this past weekend, and now claims to be the legitimate leader of the country.

Yesterday, in a post on Twitter, Saleh declared himself "the legitimate care taker [sic] President," citing the constitution of the now all-but-defunct Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, which says the First Vice President assumes this role "in absence, escape, resignation or death of the President."

The Islamic Republic's last President, Ashraf Ghani, fled the country as the Taliban advanced toward Kabul and unconfirmed rumors are swirling that he and his entourage escaped with $169 million in cash. His whereabouts wer...