Taliban Forcing Media To Promote Regime Narrative, Says Former Afghan Official

The unrest follows growing discontent over the destruction of poppy fields and recent deadly clashes between Taliban forces and local farmers in the Jurm district.

According to sources, protesters have issued a one-week ultimatum to the Taliban to dismiss the governor. The demand has reportedly received backing from some Taliban members native to Badakhshan.

Protesters insist the provincial governor should be selected from among the local population and that non-local Taliban officials should leave the province. The unrest reflects broader frustrations among residents, who accuse the Taliban leadership of disregarding local needs and traditions.

The tensions escalated after Taliban counter-narcotics units clashed with farmers in Jurm district. Local Taliban members are said to have sided with the residents during the confrontation, which forced the enforcement team to withdraw. Several residents were reportedly killed or injured during the clashes.

The Taliban have yet to issue any formal statement on the ongoing protests in Badakhshan.

Previously, community elders had urged local Taliban members to align themselves with the people of the province rather than follow directives from the Taliban’s central leadership. Badakhshan has witnessed repeated unrest in recent years, particularly over poppy eradication campaigns that locals argue threaten their livelihoods in the absence of viable economic alternatives.

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.