No surrender, but open to talks: Ahmad Massoud

Ahmad Massoud has retreated to his native Panjshir Valley, north of Kabul, along with former Vice-President Amrullah Saleh

Ahmad Massoud, son of Afghanistan's slain anti-Soviet resistance hero Ahmad Shah Massoud. File

The leader of a resistance movement against the Taliban has vowed to never surrender, but is open to negotiations with the new rulers of Afghanistan, according to an interview published by Paris Match on Wednesday.

Ahmad Massoud has retreated to his native Panjshir Valley north of Kabul along with former Vice-President Amrullah Saleh.

“I would prefer to die than to surrender,” Mr. Massoud said in his first interview since the Taliban took over Kabul. “I’m the son of Ahmad Chah Massoud. Surrender is not a word in my vocabulary,” he added.