Afghanistan Will Remain Intact, Says Taliban Official

According to sources, at least two people have been killed and several others wounded in the clashes. One person was shot dead on Friday, while another was killed by gunfire early on Saturday, May 9.

A video obtained by Afghanistan International from Argo district shows a group of residents protesting against the Taliban.

Sources said the protests have become increasingly violent and the number of casualties could rise.

As the clashes intensified, the Taliban reportedly restricted telecommunications networks in Badakhshan.

Taliban authorities have not yet commented on the incidents.

According to local information, the clashes began on Friday, May 8, when Taliban forces entered the area to destroy poppy fields and dispersed protesters using gunfire and violence.

This comes as the Taliban governor of Badakhshan, and his deputy recently visited several districts and urged residents to cooperate with anti-poppy operations.

Earlier reports said the Taliban had deployed at least 1,500 forces to Kashm district for poppy eradication efforts.

This is not the first time residents of Argo have resisted the destruction of poppy crops and the absence of alternative livelihoods.

In previous years, similar confrontations during the poppy harvest season resulted in deadly clashes between residents and Taliban forces, leaving several people dead and injured.

The two-day Paris conference on Afghanistan concluded on Thursday, May 7. The first day was held at the French parliament, while the second took place at the French foreign ministry and Paris City Hall.

The meeting focused on Afghanistan’s human rights situation, women’s rights and possible political solutions to the country’s crisis.

French foreign ministry officials met on Thursday morning with UN representatives and former Afghan officials.

During the meeting, attended by Richard Bennett, UN special rapporteur, Rahmatullah Nabil, former head of the National Directorate of Security and several women’s rights activists, participants stressed recognising gender apartheid as a crime against humanity.

Discussions also covered accelerating humanitarian and educational visas for Afghan women, urgent action to secure the release of women from Taliban prisons and holding a joint international conference in France on the condition of Afghan women.

In the second part of the conference at Paris City Hall, members of the city council discussed creating a cross-party network of local representatives in support of Afghanistan, raising awareness about Afghan women’s conditions, and assisting Afghan refugee women through housing, education and empowerment programmes.

Other topics included financial support for Afghan and Afghan-French organisations, passing resolutions recognising gender apartheid as a crime against humanity, and cooperation with the European Parliament to strengthen support and political pressure on the Taliban.

Earlier, the European Parliament announced it would review a petition calling for recognition of gender apartheid in Afghanistan and the designation of the Taliban as a terrorist organisation.

In a post on X on Friday, May 8, he said Pakistan has intensified political, cultural and propaganda pressure against Afghanistan.

Maria Sultan, head of the South Asian Strategic Stability Institute (SSASI), recently said Afghanistan may lose its geographic form in a changing regional order and might not exist in its current structure in the future.

Khurram wrote that parts of Sultan’s comments, particularly regarding Taliban officials’ assets, should be addressed by the group, but claims about the disappearance of Afghanistan’s geography and denial of its national identity require a response from every Afghan.

He stressed that Afghanistan is a historical country formed over centuries and not an artificial construct like Pakistan created through political decisions.

He described Sultan’s remarks about Afghanistan’s future geography as “propaganda”.

Khurram also accused Pakistan of appropriating Afghanistan’s historical and cultural heritage.

He said the SSASI head’s statements reflect the position of Pakistan’s intelligence services and added that such efforts have intensified since the start of the Iran conflict.

Sultan’s remarks have drawn reactions from several Afghan politicians.

Rangin Dadfar Spanta, former foreign minister of Afghanistan, said scenarios of Afghanistan’s fragmentation have failed throughout history, adding that despite foreign interference, the country has preserved its territorial integrity, and its people will respond to any threat.

Asif Durrani, former Pakistan envoy for Afghanistan said Afghanistan’s future should be determined by Afghans themselves and that no external country or force should interfere in its internal affairs.

Speaking to France 24 on Thursday, May 7, the chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party said: "Unfortunately, most of the terrorist attacks that do take place in Pakistan are linked to organisations within Afghanistan".

He added that the government of India supports groups behind terrorist activities inside Pakistan.

The Pakistani government holds a similar position, accusing both India and the Afghan Taliban of backing militants.

Asif Durrani, former Pakistan envoy for Afghanistan, said in April that Islamabad’s airstrikes inside Afghanistan had reduced attacks by Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). He also said the Afghan Taliban had partly stepped back from their stance on supporting the TTP.

The Afghan Taliban, which maintain close ties with the TTP, have repeatedly denied involvement in deadly attacks in Pakistan, describing them as Pakistan’s internal security issue.

Sources said the clash began on Friday, May 8, in a village in Argo district when Taliban members moved to destroy poppy fields.

They added that Taliban forces have since surrounded the village and detained one protester.

Local sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said residents were attempting to move the body of the deceased to the Kashm district highway nearby in protest and to block the road.

They said Taliban forces were dispersing protesters using gunfire and violence.

A local resident identified the victim as Haziqa, son of Zamanuddin Paikar, a former Taliban member.

He said Taliban forces are not allowing residents to leave their homes.

The resident added that around 500 Taliban fighters have been deployed to the village, and the area is now heavily militarised.

Taliban authorities have not yet commented on the incident.

This comes as the Taliban governor and his deputy in Badakhshan have recently visited several districts, urging residents to cooperate with efforts to eradicate poppy cultivation.

Earlier, local sources reported that the Taliban had deployed at least 1,500 forces to Kashm district for similar operations.

This is not the first time residents of Argo have resisted poppy eradication without alternative crops being introduced.

In previous years, similar confrontations during the poppy harvest season led to deadly clashes between residents and Taliban forces.