Taliban have imposed restrictions on residents of Khash district in the northeastern province of Badakhshan following violent clashes over the destruction of poppy fields, local sources said on Saturday.
Taliban have sealed off the district’s main road, shut down all telecommunications networks and deployed large numbers of fighters throughout the area, according to residents who spoke to Amu.
Since Friday, June 27, at least 20 people have been detained, and their whereabouts remain unknown, the sources said.
“The Taliban are conducting house-to-house searches and have significantly restricted people’s movement,” one local resident said.
The security lockdown follows a week of unrest, during which residents confronted Taliban forces over efforts to eradicate poppy crops in the district. At least 15 people were reportedly killed and more than 60 others wounded in the clashes, local sources said.
Taliban have not commented on the crackdown or the reported casualties.
