Taliban battle for Panjshir as U.S. warns of Afghanistan civil war

Taliban official Bilal Karimi on Sunday reported heavy clashes in Panjshir, and while resistance fighters insist they have the Islamists at bay, analysts warned they are struggling.

Taliban fighters advanced deep into the last holdout province of Panjshir Sunday, as the top U.S. general warned Afghanistan faces a wider civil war that would offer fertile ground for a resurgence of terrorism. Following their lightning fast rout of Afghanistan's army last month —and celebrations when the last out after 20 years of war on Monday — the Taliban are seeking to crush resistance forces defending the mountainous . The Taliban, who rolled into Kabul three weeks ago at a speed that analysts say likely surprised even the hardline Islamists themselves, are yet to finalise their new regime.