Herat Clashes Break Out Over Taliban Crackdown On Shia Mourning Sites

According to Russian state media outlet TASS, Hassan is set to officially begin his diplomatic mission as the Taliban's envoy in Moscow. A source at the Afghan embassy in Moscow also confirmed to Agence France-Presse that his arrival had been expected on Tuesday.

Hassan becomes the highest-ranking Taliban diplomat to assume a post at the Afghan embassy in Russia since the group returned to power in August 2021. He previously served as the Taliban’s consul in Quetta, Pakistan.

The Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced last month that Russia had formally approved Hassan’s appointment. In a meeting in Kabul last month, Russian Ambassador to Afghanistan Dmitry Zhirnov handed over Moscow’s official letter of approval to the Taliban’s acting foreign minister.

Russia had earlier removed the Taliban from its list of banned organisations and signalled its intention to elevate diplomatic ties. While Moscow, like most other governments, has not formally recognised the Taliban government, it has established extensive economic and diplomatic relations with the group.

Medical staff at a local hospital in Badakhshan confirmed that the fatalities occurred over two days of unrest. Six people, including a woman, were reportedly killed on Monday, while two more died on Tuesday. The condition of several of the injured remains critical.

Earlier reports cited five deaths and at least 20 injuries in the clashes. Hospital sources later revised the toll upward as more casualties were confirmed.

Taliban-appointed governor of Badakhshan, Mohammad Ayoub Khalid, acknowledged the civilian deaths in an interview with the BBC. He claimed the casualties were the result of “accidental fire” by Taliban forces. He also confirmed that special forces were deployed to Khash to suppress the protests.

The violence began after Taliban units were dispatched to the district to destroy poppy fields. The killing of local farmers triggered widespread anger among residents, who blocked roads leading to Faizabad and Baharak and stormed the district administration building, damaging parts of the facility.

This is not the first time Taliban forces have clashed with local farmers in Badakhshan, a province known for significant opium cultivation. Similar confrontations occurred last year in Jurm district after Taliban attempts to eradicate poppy crops.

Recently, the Afghanistan Analysts Network reported that the Taliban's efforts to enforce a nationwide drug ban have largely failed in Badakhshan. The report noted that some local Taliban officials have been unwilling to implement the ban, despite direct orders from the group’s leadership.

In response, farmers have adopted more covert methods to continue poppy cultivation such as disguising crops among other plants, farming in enclosed or remote areas, leasing land, or partnering with local residents to evade detection.

Saifuddin Laton, spokesperson for the Taliban-appointed governor of Panjshir, announced the development on Tuesday, adding that the sales process has been conducted in what he described as a “legal and transparent” manner. According to Laton, the emeralds were sold through an official auction to both domestic and international traders.

The Taliban's Directorate of Mines and Petroleum in Panjshir reported that 3987 carats of emeralds have been sold, generating over $500,000 in revenue.

However, the rapid and large-scale extraction of emeralds from Panjshir has drawn criticism from civil society groups and watchdog organisations. The Panjshir Studies Centre, a local research institute, previously published survey findings indicating that 90 percent of respondents believe the Taliban is “plundering” the province’s natural resources and that local communities see no benefit from the mining revenue.

Since regaining control of Afghanistan, the Taliban has auctioned thousands of carats of emeralds, reportedly earning millions of dollars. Critics argue that, amid an ongoing economic crisis, the group has increasingly focused on exploiting the country’s mineral wealth, often bypassing legal frameworks and excluding local populations from the benefits.

In a statement released Tuesday, 1 July, the National Resistance Front (NRF) said Iran should “avoid harsh treatment” of Afghan refugees, warning that many Afghans view migration to neighbouring countries as a matter of survival under Taliban rule.

“The dire situation in Afghanistan leaves our people with little choice,” the NRF said, thanking the Iranian public for hosting Afghan refugees and pledging to pursue migrants’ concerns “seriously and through reasonable and effective channels.”

Separately, the Jamiat-e-Islami party, led by former foreign minister Salahuddin Rabbani, urged Iran to factor in Afghanistan’s ongoing political and economic crises when handling return of refugees. The party said deportations should be conducted “wisely and in full compliance with international standards,” and called on the global community to help improve Afghan refugees’ legal status in Iran.

Jamiat-e-Islami’s statement cited what it described as a “lack of legitimacy” in Afghanistan’s governing structure, a severe economic downturn and the dominance of “irresponsible groups” threatening domestic security.

The appeals come amid a surge in deportations from Iran. Rights groups have reported rising detentions and expulsions of undocumented Afghans in recent weeks, drawing criticism from Afghan civil-society groups and opposition factions. Last week, the Afghanistan Freedom Front also condemned mass returns as violations of international law and basic human dignity.

In a statement released Tuesday, 1 July, UNAMA confirmed that the meetings began on Monday and brought together representatives from various countries, international organisations, the Taliban, and independent experts.

The sessions, part of the ongoing Doha Process, were convened to review progress in supporting Afghanistan’s private sector and in counter-narcotics initiatives, while setting out new areas for cooperation with the Taliban.

UNAMA noted that the meetings build on earlier work from the third session of special envoys and are designed to strengthen what it called a “coherent, coordinated and structured engagement process” with the Taliban for the benefit of the Afghan people.

A seven-member Taliban delegation, including representatives from the Ministries of Public Health, Interior, Foreign Affairs and Agriculture, attended the meetings.

The Doha Process has emerged as a key diplomatic platform for facilitating international dialogue with the Taliban following their return to power in August 2021.