The Taliban has declared victory over opposition forces in Panjshir valley, a restive mountain region that was the final holdout of opposition forces in the country, three weeks after controlling Kabul.

Ahmad Massoud, who leads the opposition forces that have been battling the Taliban fighters, has called for a "national uprising" against the movement.

On his account, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid announced on Monday that “with this victory, our country is completely taken out of the quagmire of war”.

The Panjshir Valley has long been regarded as an anti-Taliban stronghold, and its leader, Ahmed Shah Massoud emphasized this in the late 1980s, before being assassinated by Al-Qaeda in 2001. The restive mountain region has been currently considered a safe haven for opposition forces led by his son, Ahmed Massoud.

The opposition forces vowed to carry on fighting in Panjshir Valley, stressing that they are present in “strategic positions” and that “the struggle against the Taliban will continue”.

After announcing they seized the Panjshir Valley, a Taliban spokesman divulged that any insurgency against their rule would be “hit hard”.

Mujahid added that “the Afghan forces who were trained in the past 20 years will be asked to rejoin the security departments alongside Taliban members.”

On the topic of government formation, the spokesman added that “the government will possibly be a caretaker government for now, with room for reform, change, and other fundamental steps.” 

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken is traveling to Doha, Qatar on Sunday to meet with Qatari leaders and express “gratitude for their help with the US evacuation efforts from Afghanistan”.

Blinken is not expected to meet Taliban officials in Doha, where their political offices are located. However, such discussions do not appear to be out of the question in the near future.