Senior commander of the National Resistance Front (NRF) of Afghanistan, Saleh Mohammad Registani, has announced his return to Afghanistan, declaring his intention to continue the resistance against the Taliban.
The announcement was made through a newly released video published by the National Resistance Front on Monday, showing Registani in a mountainous area believed to be within Afghanistan. In the video, Registani confirms that, following a period away from the country, he has returned to his homeland and intends to continue serving the Afghan people.
“After a difficult period of absence, we are once again in our homeland, serving our people and in the Hindu Kush,” Registani said in the video.
Registani’s return represents a significant development in the National Resistance Front’s ongoing campaign against the Taliban. In his message, the senior commander emphasised that the resistance remains active and that the struggle against Taliban rule continues. He further stated that resistance fronts have emerged in several parts of Afghanistan, with fighters continuing to raise the flag of resistance and oppose the Taliban.
The message seeks to portray the resistance movement as an ongoing campaign extending beyond a single geographic area, with multiple fronts reportedly operating across Afghanistan. The National Resistance Front of Afghanistan has confirmed to Afghanistan International, an Afghan media outlet that Registani has indeed returned to Afghanistan and that the video released by the organisation is recent.
The confirmation provides additional context to the video and establishes that Registani’s appearance is being presented by the NRF as a current development rather than archival footage. His return is expected to draw renewed attention to the activities of anti-Taliban resistance groups operating inside Afghanistan and to the broader security and political dynamics surrounding the Taliban’s rule.
Speaking from a mountainous location, Registani invoked the Hindu Kush as a symbol of Afghanistan and the resistance movement. His statement focused on his return to the country and his commitment to continuing what he described as service to the Afghan people.
The reference to the Hindu Kush also carries significance given the historical association of Afghanistan’s mountainous regions with armed resistance movements and the strategic challenges involved in maintaining control over remote and difficult terrain.
Registani also claimed that several other resistance fronts across Afghanistan have raised the banner of resistance and are engaged in fighting against the Taliban. The statement comes amid continuing claims by Afghan opposition groups regarding armed activity against Taliban forces in different parts of the country. The scale, territorial reach and operational capabilities of these groups are difficult to independently assess from publicly available information.
Nevertheless, the public return of a senior NRF commander represents a notable development in the Afghan opposition’s messaging and could have implications for the movement’s organisation, recruitment and visibility.
The development comes against the backdrop of Afghanistan’s continuing political and security transformation under Taliban rule. Since the Taliban returned to power, various opposition and resistance groups have continued to challenge the authorities, although the Taliban has maintained control over the country’s major population centres and institutions.
The emergence or reactivation of resistance figures such as Registani is therefore being closely watched for its potential impact on Afghanistan’s evolving security environment.
