At least four people have been killed and 32 others wounded in a series of clashes across Afghanistan’s northeastern Badakhshan province, local sources said on Monday, amid growing tensions involving Taliban forces, local residents and armed opposition activity.
Residents and local sources told Amu TV that the violence has continued since late last week in several districts, including Argo, Shukai, Khash and Jurm.
The clashes stemmed from separate disputes involving poppy cultivation, control of mining sites and what sources described as armed resistance against the Taliban.
According to local accounts, two people were killed and eight wounded in Argo district during confrontations linked to Taliban efforts to destroy poppy fields.
In Shukai district, another two people were killed and 10 wounded in fighting connected to disputes over mining operations, sources said.
Additional unrest was reported in Khash district, where at least 11 people were wounded during clashes between local residents and Taliban forces.
In Jurm district, three people were wounded and three others detained following what sources described as armed resistance activity.
Local residents said tensions remained high across several districts, with communities on alert and some roads leading to Khash district blocked by residents.
Sources also said Taliban were deploying additional forces to parts of Badakhshan in response to the unrest.
Badakhshan has emerged in recent years as one of the most volatile provinces in northeastern Afghanistan, with repeated tensions over poppy eradication campaigns, mining control and local grievances against Taliban.
The province contains significant deposits of gold and other minerals, and disputes over access to mining sites have increasingly fueled armed confrontations involving local residents, commanders and Taliban-linked figures.
At the same time, Taliban campaigns to eliminate poppy cultivation — a major source of income for some rural communities — have triggered protests and deadly clashes in several districts.
Last year, similar confrontations in Badakhshan led to casualties, mass arrests and days of demonstrations against Taliban.
Analysts say the overlapping disputes over economic survival, local power structures and security have made Badakhshan one of the most unstable areas under Taliban control.
Restrictions on independent reporting and limited access to the affected districts have made it difficult to verify the full scale of the violence.
