Massoud announces conditions for ending anti-Taliban resist.

According to Sputnik, Massoud said if the Taliban forms an inclusive government and guarantees equal rights to all Afghans, he will give up resistance in Panjshir.

The 32-year-old son of late Ahmad Shah Massoud has pledged to hold out against the Taliban from his stronghold in the Panjshir valley. The region is known for its natural defenses and was also held out against the Taliban when they ruled Afghanistan in 1996-2001.

In a recent Washington Post editorial, Ahmad Massoud said members of the Afghan military including some from the elite Special Forces units had rallied to his cause and he had appealed to some countries for help.

Several countries have been cautiously optimistic about the new leadership in Kabul and are seeking contact with the militants in an effort to avoid instability spilling over to neighboring ex-Soviet states.

The US messy withdrawal put an end to a futile two-decade-long war the United States waged in Afghanistan.

For now, the Taliban have vowed to respect the rights of women, seek good relations with other countries, and not to exact retribution on former members of the Afghan military. Many Afghans remain skeptical, however.

HJ/5295020