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Afghanistan’s Panjshir Valley awaits the next fight with the Taliban

An Afghan soldier looks out over the Panjshir Valley, in the country's northeast. Panjshir is one of only two provinces never conquered by the Taliban.

An Afghan soldier looks out over the Panjshir Valley, in the country’s northeast. Panjshir is one of only two provinces never conquered by the Taliban.  (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

As U.S. troops prepare to leave, former militia members eye their weapons, doubtful the Afghan army will keep the Taliban at bay.

Afghanistan's Panjshir Valley

Mir Malik, 60, washes his feet before prayer in Safid Shir village, where snow runoff is plentiful.  (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Afghanistan's Panjshir Valley

“The Americans will go, the foreigners will go, but we will always be responsible for defending ourselves,” says Haji Sediq, right, with Ali Dad in Panjshir.  (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Afghanistan's Panjshir Valley

Mohammed Salim, right, and brother Shamsullah, both 9, help out in their father’s blacksmith shop in the village of Safid Shir, which is about 100 miles north of Kabul. The boys did not go to school this year.  (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

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Afghanistan's Panjshir Valley

Schoolgirls walk home along a new road that runs through the Panjshir Valley, where girls continued to go to school even when the Taliban was in power.  (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

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