Residents in the Dasht-e-Qala and Khwaja Bahauddin districts of Takhar province have expressed complaints regarding the relocation of numerous families associated with Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to their districts. Local sources, speaking to Hasht-e Subh Daily, have informed that these individuals arriving in their areas are unfamiliar with the local languages and predominantly speak Urdu. The residents assert that the families of TTP members have been temporarily housed in mosques within the Dasht-e-Qala district and at the residence of “Mamoor Hassan” in the Khwaja Bahauddin district. They further state that these families are under the protection of local Taliban members, who restrict access by residents. According to local sources, a committee comprised of representatives from Taliban offices in Takhar province has been tasked with facilitating their settlement in these districts. However, some residents view the conflicts in these areas as stemming from land disputes. Certain political factions opposing the Taliban argue that this action constitutes a direct “attack” and a regional threat, potentially igniting ethnic tensions in Central Asia. Meanwhile, the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) has called upon the Taliban to prevent such activities in Afghanistan.
After Rana Sanaullah, the Interior Minister of Pakistan announced that the Taliban had agreed to relocate TTP members from the Pakistan border regions to different parts of Afghanistan, the Taliban themselves have confirmed this decision. According to Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban spokesperson, migrants from the Waziristan region are being relocated to other areas to establish “greater control” and address Pakistan’s concerns. However, this action by the Taliban has triggered significant responses from politicians and citizens alike. Many citizens vehemently criticize the Taliban’s move, viewing it as a potential catalyst for ethnic conflicts, and demanding an immediate halt to this trend.
Residents in the districts beyond the Kokcha River in the northeastern part of the country are expressing deep concerns over the forced relocation of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) members. In conversations with the Hasht-e Subh Daily, residents from Takhar province’s Khwaja Bahauddin and Dasht-e-Qala districts have confirmed that dozens of Pakistani families have recently been relocated to their areas by the Taliban. These residents note that the relocated individuals are not familiar with the native languages spoken in the mentioned areas. Currently, the TTP members are temporarily housed in mosques and the residences of local residents, with Taliban delegations from Taloqan, the center of Takhar province, facilitating their settlement in these districts. One resident from the Dasht-e-Qala district informed the Hasht-e Subh Daily that the Taliban governor arrived in Takhar province on Tuesday, June 20. The resident further stated that Pashto-speaking armed forces have entered the Dasht-e-Qala district following the governor’s arrival. Some of these forces have been deployed to Khwaja Bahauddin and Darqad districts, while the rest have been relocated within the Dasht-e-Qala district.
According to the resident, an ongoing land dispute between the Uzbeks and Pashtuns in the villages of Baghizaghan and Ortazulm has escalated with the arrival of the governor of the Taliban. Tension over land is also prevalent in the Khwaja Bahauddin district. The resident reports that the Pashto speakers have issued warnings to the Uzbeks, demanding their evacuation from the area. The land conflict has been persisting for nearly a year.
The resident reports that the Taliban recently removed Mawlawi Abdul Qadir, the former governor of the Dasht-e-Qala district, from his position due to allegations of supporting the Uzbeks. Additionally, two individuals affiliated with ISIS were detained by the Taliban. The resident highlights that the ethnic conflict has escalated since the arrival of the new Taliban governor. Armed Taliban militants, who speak Pashto, claim to have arrived in the district to prevent clashes between the conflicting parties.
Meanwhile, a former government official reports that the Taliban have transported individuals to the Khwaja Bahauddin district, where they have been temporarily housed in one of the mosques. These individuals primarily speak Urdu. The official reveals that all those who have arrived in Khwaja Bahauddin are armed. In the Dasht-e-Qala district, approximately 300 armed members of the “Naqeelin” group have been relocated to the residence of “Mamoor Hasan.” The official highlights that these individuals also speak Urdu. Additionally, he states that representatives from various departments of the Taliban, including the provincial office, security command, intelligence, judiciary, and Hajj and Religious Affairs, have visited the district for the relocation process. The area is restricted, and ordinary people are not permitted to approach or move around freely.
The transfer of TTP members and Pakistani migrants to northern Afghanistan has generated widespread reactions and concerns. Some experts view this as an extension of the historical “Naqeelin Project” initiated during Abdul Rahman Khan’s time in the north. They argue that the forced displacement of local residents has severe consequences for Afghanistan’s stability and fuels ethnic conflicts. In an interview with the Hasht-e Sub Daily, Mohammad Nazif Shaharani, a professor of political anthropology at Indiana University, describes the recent relocation of TTP in northern Afghanistan as a new development. He asserts that it is an endeavor by the current regime to settle foreigners in indigenous regions. Shaharani claims that while this initiative began during the administrations of Hamid Karzai and Ashraf Ghani, it was not openly acknowledged. Referring to the transfer of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) members, he characterizes it as a “foreign invasion” and a manifestation of “Pakistani imperialism” facilitated by the Taliban regime’s consent. According to Shaharani, the displacement of native people and the redistribution of their lands to foreigners exacerbate ethnic tensions. He also predicts heightened tensions among neighboring countries beyond the Kokcha River, including China, Russia, and Iran, in response to this issue.
This university professor highlights the emergence of the “Ozbeks’ Grand Movement” in opposition to the relocation of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) members in the Qataghan and Turkistan regions. He emphasizes that a strong movement has developed to ensure that Qataghan and Turkistan do not become another Waziristan. This movement has gained momentum among the Uzbek community in the northern regions through WhatsApp communities, and there is a potential for its expansion to a wider scope.
He views the relocation of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) members as a deliberate strategy to promote the dominance of the Pashtun ethnic group and grant them extensive privileges in the long run. He emphasizes that this process, aided by the British, has been ongoing in various forms since the time of Abdul Rahman Khan, and the Taliban is now seeking to alter the demographic composition of northern Afghanistan. Mr. Shaharani highlights that the current circumstances make it challenging for the people to resist the Taliban, and there is a possibility of regional countries supporting the fight against the Taliban’s agenda. Nevertheless, regardless of the outcome, the local inhabitants of these regions bear the brunt of the consequences.
However, various political figures and movements have strongly reacted to this development. The National Resistance Front (NRF) of Afghanistan has issued a declaration, expressing grave concerns over the relocation of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) members, which it perceives as a significant threat to neighboring countries and the entire region. The NRF regards the movement of TTP members to the northern and northeastern regions as a major risk to neighboring nations and characterizes the transfer of foreign fighters to the north as a destabilization project targeting Central Asia, Russia, China, and Iran. The declaration emphasizes that through the implementation of this plan, the Taliban is severely undermining peaceful coexistence among ethnic groups and the unity of the country.
The National Resistance Council for the Salvation of Afghanistan has voiced its concerns regarding the relocation of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) members in the northern regions. The council has stated that the relocation of TTP forces in the northern and northeastern provinces of Afghanistan alters the demographic makeup of these provinces and represents a geopolitical threat to Central Asia and regional security.
The National Islamic Movement of Afghanistan, led by Marshal Abdul Rashid Dostum, has denounced the relocation of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) members in northern Afghanistan as a “foreign invasion.” They have issued a warning, stating that they will actively work to prevent such actions and will not stand idly by. The party has criticized the Taliban’s agreement to transfer TTP members to the north, describing it as “another disgraceful commitment to the occupation” of Afghanistan. In their statement, they declare, “We will protect the graves of martyrs, sacred sites, and the national values of Afghanistan from being trampled upon by aggressors.”
Meanwhile, the foreign ministers of member countries of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) have called on the Taliban to prevent “ethnic and religious-based forced population displacement” in Afghanistan. Last week, in Minsk, the capital of Belarus, they expressed concerns about the “deteriorating security situation and the increasing activities of international terrorist organizations, particularly ISIS,” through a statement.
Previously, the former Iranian ambassador to Afghanistan, Abolfazl Zohrevand, also expressed concern about the relocation of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) members in northern and western Afghanistan. He warned that there are sensitivities in the north of Afghanistan, spanning from Panjshir to Wakhan, and if Pakistan succeeds in deploying forces there, it could lead to a prolonged conflict in the region, transforming it into a destabilizing force against Central Asia. It is important to note that this action is a result of an agreement between the Taliban and the Pakistani government, where TTP members and their families are being moved from areas near the Durand Line to the northern part of Afghanistan.