Afghan resistance group confirms death of commander Haseeb Panjshiri

Afghanistan’s National Resistance Front (NRF) has confirmed the death of one of its commanders, Haseeb Panjshiri, following a report by a media outlet affiliated with Taliban intelligence that he was killed in an operation by Taliban special forces, The Kabul Tribune writes.

Ali Maisam Nazary, the NRF’s head of foreign relations, confirmed Panjshiri’s death in a Facebook post. He described Panjshiri as a fighter and offered condolences to members of the group and the Afghan people.

Nazary did not disclose when or where Panjshiri was killed, or provide details of the circumstances surrounding his death.

Al-Mersaad, a media outlet regarded as close to Taliban intelligence, had earlier reported that Panjshiri was killed during an operation by Taliban special forces. The Taliban has not officially commented on the report, and the circumstances of the reported operation could not be independently verified.

Panjshiri, also known as Haseeb Qowai Markaz, was a member of the NRF, an armed opposition group led by Ahmad Massoud.

Under Afghanistan’s former republican government, Panjshiri was placed on the Interior Ministry’s wanted list, according to a January 2020 report by TOLOnews. Ministry spokesman Nusrat Rahimi said at the time that Panjshiri was accused of murder, theft and extortion, and that the police chief of Panjshir had been instructed to arrest him.

Panjshiri subsequently accused the National Directorate of Security, the country’s intelligence agency at the time, of involvement in targeted killings.

In 2020, republican police special forces carried out an operation in Panjshir province to arrest him. After several hours of fighting, he escaped from the area.

The allegations were made under the former government, and it was not immediately clear whether Panjshiri was ever convicted of the offences.

Following the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, Panjshiri became one of the NRF members operating inside Afghanistan.

In May 2025, photographs circulated showing Panjshiri and fellow NRF member Khalid Amiri wearing military uniforms and carrying weapons in a mountainous area. NRF officials said at the time that the images demonstrated the presence of their forces inside Afghanistan.

Panjshiri also appeared in a video in which he said he remained in Afghanistan and would continue opposing Taliban rule.

The NRF was established under Massoud’s leadership following the collapse of Afghanistan’s former government in August 2021. Initially centred in Panjshir province, the group has claimed attacks against Taliban forces in Panjshir and other parts of Afghanistan.

The Taliban has regularly rejected claims of attacks by armed opposition groups and says it has established security across the country.

By Aghakazim Guliyev