Protesters In Badakhshan Demand Removal Of Taliban-Appointed Governor

According to accounts provided to Afghanistan International, the confrontation also resulted in the deaths of at least four Taliban fighters. Several Taliban vehicles were reportedly set ablaze during the fighting.

Sources stated that Taliban forces surrounded Zaidullah’s residence in Shuhada district, leading to several hours of heavy exchanges of gunfire between the two sides. One source noted that this was not the first attempt by the Taliban to capture the commander, who had recently returned from Iran after a period of exile.

There has been no official confirmation regarding the cause of the clash. However, local sources claim the conflict may have stemmed from a longstanding personal feud between Zaidullah and Amanuddin Mansoor, the Taliban’s corps commander in Kunduz.

A resident of the district alleged that the Taliban justified the operation under the pretext of targeting ISIS elements, though no clear evidence has been presented to support this claim.

As of now, local authorities and official Taliban sources in Badakhshan have not released any formal statements concerning the incident.

According to local Taliban officials, at least 109 musical instruments were collected over the past several months from various celebratory gatherings and subsequently burned. On Monday, officials in Alingar released images showing the public incineration of the items, which included drums (daff), guitars, loudspeakers, and other musical equipment.

Since returning to power in Afghanistan nearly four years ago, the Taliban has banned all forms of music, declaring that it contradicts “the rulings of Islamic Sharia.” The group has regularly carried out raids to confiscate musical instruments and has punished musicians in several provinces.

The Taliban’s Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue claims that thousands of musical instruments have been destroyed under its directives since the group’s return to power.

According to Hengaw, the individuals were sentenced to death on charges of premeditated murder and drug-related offences. The Afghan citizen, identified as Mobarak Rahmani, was executed on Sunday in Qom Prison. He had been arrested three years ago on charges of murder.

The other executed individuals were named as Zabihollah Sarani, Vahid Karimizadeh, Farhad Farahnak, Alireza Rezaei, and Hessam Farhadi.

As of now, Iranian state media and official sources have not confirmed the executions.

Human rights organisations operating outside Iran have previously documented a rise in the number of Afghan nationals executed in Iran following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. According to these groups, more than 80 Afghan prisoners were executed in Iran over the past year.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Muttaqi said Afghanistan’s strategic location, youthful population, and abundant natural resources uniquely position it to serve as a regional transit and trade hub. He emphasised the Taliban administration’s commitment to fostering economic partnerships and invited foreign investors to engage with confidence.

Highlighting growing ties with Beijing, Muttaqi praised China’s role in Afghanistan’s agricultural and technology sectors and described it as one of the Taliban government’s key economic partners.

During his ongoing visit, Muttaqi met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday to discuss strengthening bilateral relations and deepening economic cooperation. According to Taliban foreign ministry deputy spokesperson Hafiz Zia Ahmad Takal, Wang Yi pledged continued political and economic support for Afghanistan and vowed to help remove barriers to Afghan imports, particularly agricultural goods.

Muttaqi’s China trip follows a recent visit to Iran, where he met with President Masoud Pezeshkian as part of broader efforts by the Taliban to bolster regional ties and attract foreign investment amid international isolation.

Nasir Ahmad Andisha, Afghanistan’s ambassador to Geneva, voiced strong objections to the plan during the meeting, stating that the UN’s approach marginalises non-Taliban actors and undermines the role of women, civil society organisations, and opponents of the Taliban regime.

According to Andisha, the Mosaic initiative refers to the Taliban as the primary stakeholders in Afghanistan’s future, while reducing other groups to the vague label of “other Afghan stakeholders.” He argued that this category, in reality, encompasses the Afghan people, women’s rights defenders, human rights organisations, and civil society leaders, many of whom remain in exile or under threat.

Andisha further noted that a similar pattern of exclusion is visible at the regional level, where dialogue is taking place through opaque and unaccountable “intelligence channels,” leaving non-Taliban voices out of key discussions.

“The UN has not meaningfully shared the Mosaic plan with Afghan civil actors or activists,” Andisha said. “Some UN representatives believe that many of Afghanistan’s exiled figures are not important enough to be involved in discussions about the country’s future.”

He accused the UN of lacking the political will to engage a broad spectrum of Afghan stakeholders, saying the organisation “is not interested” in inclusive dialogue.

In a broader critique, Andisha also acknowledged internal weaknesses among anti-Taliban opposition forces, stating they have yet to develop a unified and coherent strategy. Without naming Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, he remarked, “Only one man has a plan, and he is implementing it,” warning that this plan is dragging Afghanistan further backward.

The fourth round of the Antalya Process commenced on Monday in Türkiye, bringing together Afghan and international participants to discuss prospects for launching a genuine, inclusive national dialogue aimed at resolving the ongoing crisis in Afghanistan.