Around 300 Taliban militants of Pashtun origin have been stationed in Fayzabad, the capital of Badakhshan province. These militants are part of the Taliban’s special intelligence forces and received military and operational training in Pakistan. They have engaged in physical clashes with local Taliban forces. However, sources informed Hasht-e Subh Daily that the Taliban distrust their local forces in the province, and these Pashtun-origin militants are expected to assume responsibility for securing key areas in Badakhshan. These sources emphasize that the new militants intend to conduct a thorough search of houses in the province. Nevertheless, political and analytical groups have warned against transferring Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants to the northern and northeastern parts of the country. This concern arises following the recent suicide attacks that targeted and killed two prominent Taliban commanders in Badakhshan, which have been claimed by ISIS. Some politicians and analysts believe that these individuals have become victims of internal disputes within the Taliban.
On Monday, June 12, sources informed Hasht-e Subh Daily that around 300 Taliban militants have recently arrived in Fayzabad, the capital of Badakhshan province. These militants, who belong to the Taliban’s special forces, have undergone military training and carried out complex operations in Pakistan. Their deployment to Badakhshan province signifies notable shifts at the managerial and military levels, particularly in this province. The sources indicate that Pashtun-origin Taliban militants are currently in charge of securing the entry gates and security perimeters of Fayzabad City.
According to sources, the Taliban has undertaken multiple objectives by replacing their local forces in Badakhshan province. These objectives include resettling Nomads (Kuchis) in the “Shiveh” areas, exerting control over mineral resources, and suppressing potential opposition within the province. An informed source revealed to Hasht-e Subh Daily, “In addition to these goals, they are relocating their camps to gain forces and sanctuaries. They are also imposing cultural changes on the region, destroying or smuggling historical documents and artifacts. Those who remain in the area naturally form new relationships and alter their ethnic composition. These are their long-term ambitions, and they eliminate anyone who opposes them, attributing it to ISIS.”
Meanwhile, the Hasht-e Subh Daily has received information from other sources stating that several Taliban intelligence and security officials have recently visited resource-rich areas in Badakhshan province. According to these sources, the officials are seeking to establish their own forces in order to control and exploit underground resources. Their objective is to weaken the local Taliban and assume control over the mines. The group is concerned that the local Taliban in Badakhshan province may not remain loyal to them.
However, a former government official from Badakhshan province asserts, “The local Taliban militants are actively demonstrating their loyalty, but the Taliban themselves do not trust them. The relocation of Pashtun-origin forces suggests a project and a plan underway. The recent killings serve the same purpose.” Furthermore, an anonymous source discloses that the Haqqani network currently has control over the province’s security and intelligence departments, including the intelligence chief.
Meanwhile, residents have raised concerns regarding the conduct of the Pashtun-origin Taliban militants, alleging their harsh treatment towards the people. According to the residents, these militants carry out inspections and interrogations of selected individuals at checkpoints, often confiscating their mobile phones. A local source shared with the Hasht-e Subh Daily, “They don black attire, concealing their heads and faces, and possess sophisticated equipment. Their behavior is exceedingly brutal, leaving the populace in a state of fear. The prevailing atmosphere resembles a military campaign, creating an imminent sense of war.”
On Monday, physical clashes and verbal disputes between Taliban militants erupted in Fayzabad city, as confirmed by sources. An eyewitness recounted the incident to the Hasht-e Subh Daily, stating, “Pashtun-origin Taliban militants confronted several local Badakhshan Taliban members at Hamam-e Roshan Square! They repeatedly struck the local militants, armed and ready to seize their weapons. However, some others intervened, engaged in conversation, and allowed them to leave.” Following this encounter, sources reveal that a local Taliban commander intended to initiate an armed confrontation, but the security commander of the group intervened and prevented it from occurring.
Sources indicate that the Taliban’s intelligence forces in Badakhshan province have an additional objective, which involves conducting house-to-house inspections in Fayzabad city and certain districts of the province. Local and Pashtun-origin Taliban members are currently engaged in discussions regarding this matter. An informed source reveals, “Currently, approximately 200 to 300 forces have arrived, and their numbers may reach 600. They intend to initiate house-to-house inspections in Badakhshan province. They are currently seeking the approval of influential Badakhshan Taliban leaders to proceed, despite some interference from elderly leaders who oppose the idea. Nevertheless, they remain determined to proceed, and the house-to-house inspections will commence. At present, the Pashtun-origin Taliban hold most of the authority in Fayzabad. According to this source, local Taliban members suggest that the deployed forces of this group will assume security responsibility for the majority of key areas in Badakhshan province until the upcoming autumn.”
The Pashtun-origin Taliban militants’ movement in Badakhshan province occurs amidst previous warnings from political and military adversaries of the group regarding the transfer of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) members to northern Afghanistan. The Council of National Resistance for the Salvation of Afghanistan, consisting of jihadist leaders and former government officials, has labeled this transfer of TTP members to the northern region of the country as a “strategic deal” between the Afghan and Pakistani Taliban. The council emphasizes that the influx of foreign militants transforms the northern region into a “terrorist haven” and results in demographic changes.
In the meantime, the National Resistance Front (NRF), engaged in a long-standing battle against the Taliban across various provinces, including Panjshir, has expressed grave concerns over the movement of TTP members in northern Afghanistan. The Front underscores that any endeavor to relocate “foreign terrorists” amounts to territorial invasion, erosion of identity, and the propagation of extremism.
The concerns voiced by Taliban opposition groups arise amidst recent statements made by Rana Sanaullah, the Minister of State for Interior of Pakistan. Sanaullah revealed that the Taliban had presented him with a proposal suggesting the transfer of TTP members from border areas to more remote regions in Afghanistan. Additionally, in a meeting held in Kabul this month, Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, the Taliban’s deputy political and acting prime minister, mentioned that their supreme leader had issued an order to withdraw “citizens” facing issues with their respective countries from the Afghan border.
The Taliban’s decision to expel foreign militants facing conflicts with their respective countries coincides with a United Nations Security Council report that highlights the group’s connections with 20 regional terrorist organizations. According to the UN report, the Taliban maintains a strong alliance with Al-Qaeda and the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Additionally, the Long War Journal, an American media outlet, has recently revealed that certain individuals affiliated with Al-Qaeda hold prominent positions within the Taliban regime. The media outlet specifically identifies the Taliban’s intelligence deputy and the governors of Kapisa and Nuristan provinces as members of Al-Qaeda.
In the past week, two senior Taliban commanders in Badakhshan province fell victim to separate suicide attacks. Mawlawi Nisar Ahmad Ahmadi, the deputy and acting governor of the Taliban in Badakhshan province, was killed in a car bombing. Two days later, during the funeral procession, Mawlawi Safiullah Samim, a former commander of the Taliban in Baghlan province, was targeted in a suicide attack at Fayzabad’s Nabawi Mosque, the capital of Badakhshan province. Although ISIS claimed responsibility for both attacks, the Jamaat-e-Islami Party, led by Salahuddin Rabbani, has characterized the suicide attacks on local Taliban commanders as a result of “intergroup tensions” driven by power struggles. It is important to note that the second suicide attack also resulted in casualties among members of the Jamaat-e-Islami Party.