A local Taliban commander, along with his wife and child, was killed during an internal armed clash in northeastern Badakhshan Province, according to multiple local sources familiar with the incident.
The fighting broke out on Monday afternoon in Shahada District, where Taliban factions engaged in a protracted confrontation that lasted several hours. Zaidullah, a local Taliban commander described by sources as a prominent Salafist figure within the group, was among those killed.
Local sources told Amu TV that the clash appears to have stemmed from internal tensions between rival Taliban elements, with ideological and factional disagreements believed to be at the root of the dispute.
In addition to Zaidullah’s death, sources said at least four Taliban members were seriously wounded, including Abdul Saboor, the deputy head of Taliban intelligence in Shahada District, and Mahmood, another intelligence officer.
The exact number of casualties remains unclear, and Taliban authorities have not issued a formal statement regarding the incident.
Fasihuddin Fitrat, the Taliban’s army chief of staff and one of the group’s most senior military officials, is said to have traveled to Badakhshan to address the fallout from the confrontation.
According to one local source, Zaidullah had returned from Iran several weeks ago and had been embroiled in disputes with Taliban figures in the district, reportedly over his strict Salafi views. The source also said that following the clash, Taliban fighters set fire to Zaidullah’s residence, resulting in the deaths of his wife and child.
As of Tuesday, Taliban spokesmen had not responded to requests for comment.
