Panjshir Valley

Why in news?

• Taliban forces conquered the strategically important Panjshir Valley region amidst reports that the leader of the resistance fighters Ahmad Massoud has left for a secure place outside Afghanistan.

Panjshir Valley:

• Panjshir valley or Valley of the Five Lions is in north-central Afghanistan
• Located 150 km north of Kabul, the Valley is near the Hindu Kush Mountain range.
• It’s divided by the Panjshir river and ringed by the Panjshir mountains in the north and the Kuhestan mountains in the south.
• The mountain tops are covered by snow throughout the year.
• This difficult terrain makes the Valley a nightmare for invaders.

Why is it significant?

• The Valley has repeatedly played a decisive role in Afghanistan’s military history, as its geographical position almost completely closes it off from the rest of the country.
• The only access point to the region is through a narrow passage created by the Panjshir River, which can be easily defended militarily.
• Famed for its natural defenses, the region tucked into the Hindu Kush mountains never fell to the Taliban during the civil war of the 1990s, nor was it conquered by the Soviets a decade earlier.
• Panjshir Valley was among the safest regions in the country during the time of the NATO-backed government from 2001 to 2021.
• The valley is also known for its emeralds, which were used in the past to finance the resistance movements against those in power.

PRACTICE QUESTION

Consider the following pairs:

Places in news     : Country

Panjshir Valley         : Pakistan

Herat                       : Syria

Amami islands         : Japan

Which of the pairs given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 3 only

Answer