Taliban Besieged TOLOnews Offices After Journalist Detentions, Say Sources

The Taliban police command in Badakhshan said on Saturday that the clashes began after anti-narcotics units were deployed to a village in Argo district to destroy poppy fields.

In a statement, the Taliban police spokesperson said a number of farmers and residents, allegedly incited by criminals and drug traffickers, attempted to prevent the destruction of poppy crops.

He said one child was killed on Friday during the unrest, while another person died on Saturday, May 9, during continuing protests and clashes.

The Taliban police command claimed the situation is now under control and the area remains under Taliban authority.

However, local sources told Afghanistan International on Saturday that clashes between Taliban forces and residents of Argo district were still ongoing.

Residents said both victims were killed by Taliban gunfire.

A video obtained by Afghanistan International from Argo district shows continuing protests by local residents against the Taliban.

The Taliban police command also acknowledged that protesters temporarily blocked the Kishim –Faizabad highway, which was later reopened through the efforts of security officials, religious scholars and tribal elders.

According to local information, the clashes began on Friday, May 8, when Taliban forces entered the village to destroy poppy fields.

In recent days, the Taliban governor of Badakhshan and his deputy had visited several districts and urged residents to cooperate with anti-poppy campaigns.

Earlier reports said the Taliban had deployed at least 1,500 forces to Kishim district for similar operations.

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

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

The Taliban leader banned poppy cultivation in 2022, but multiple reports suggest opium cultivation continues, particularly in northern and southern provinces.

Farmers say the lack of viable alternative crops, unreliable markets and insufficient financial and technical support have forced them to continue growing poppies because they have no other source of income for their families.

In a statement on Saturday, Karzai said tribal elders on both sides of the border had recently signed documents described as peace agreements. He noted that Pakistan’s foreign ministry had officially welcomed and endorsed the deals.

The former president said these developments are viewed as an attempt by Pakistan to legitimise the so-called Durand Line and as a move contrary to Afghanistan’s national sovereignty.

Without directly naming the Taliban, he called on authorities to provide clear explanations to the public regarding these developments.

Earlier, Pakistan’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Tahir Andrabi welcomed ceasefire agreements reached by tribal elders on both sides of the border in Kunar and Nuristan, saying they reflected the desire of border communities for peace.

Speaking on Thursday, May 7, Andrabi described the agreements between elders in Bajaur–Kunar and Chitral–Nuristan as positive developments showing that people on both sides wanted peace.

In mid-April, tribal elders in Nuristan approached Pakistani border forces in Chitral after roads to Kamdesh and Barg-e Matal districts remained closed for two months, raising fears of famine and hunger. Their efforts resulted in ceasefire agreements across the border.

Elders in border areas of Kunar later followed the Nuristan example and reached similar ceasefire arrangements with tribal leaders in Bajaur across the border.

Taliban authorities have not yet commented on the signing of the peace agreements in border regions.

Taliban authorities have not yet issued any explanation.

One source in western Kabul said the sound of continuous gunfire was heard while the aircraft were patrolling overhead.

At least three independent sources in Kabul told Afghanistan International on Saturday that unidentified aircraft and repeated gunfire were heard in several parts of the city.

In previous similar incidents, the Taliban Defence Ministry and spokespersons said the gunfire came from air defence forces targeting Pakistani aircraft that had entered Afghan airspace.

Zabihullah Mujahid and other Taliban officials have repeatedly told residents “not to worry”.

No details are yet available about the aircraft activity on Saturday.

Afghanistan International says it is following the story and will publish any official explanation or new details as they emerge.

Taliban authorities have not commented on the clashes or arrests.

The identities of those detained have also not been officially confirmed.

According to local reports, security tensions in Paryan have been building for several months. The incidents began after a Taliban vehicle was set on fire in Kojan village in December 2025.

Residents said that later, in an attack on a Taliban outpost at Paryan Mosque in late March 2026, two Taliban members were killed. Another major incident was the killing of Mullah Gul Haidar, the Taliban intelligence deputy, in the same village.

Local sources, speaking anonymously for security reasons, said Taliban forces subsequently arrested many civilians from Kojan village.

There have also been reports of detainees being tortured.

Taliban intelligence reportedly launched two large-scale operations against the strategic Samehr Dara area, claiming the attackers were hiding there.

Sources said a Taliban assault on the night of May 5, from two directions, Shahr-e Biland village and the valley route, was met with resistance, forcing the attackers to retreat after suffering three dead and one wounded.

The security situation in Paryan is now described as heavily militarised, with residents expressing concern over increasing arrests, restrictions and tensions.

Strict curfew measures have also been imposed in Kojan village, where no one is allowed to leave their homes after evening prayers.

In response to recent debate about Afghanistan’s possible fragmentation, the Taliban interior ministry adviser wrote on Friday, May 8: “Empires came and went, but Afghanistan remained Afghanistan.”

Maria Sultan, head of the South Asian Strategic Stability Institute, had earlier said Afghanistan could lose its geographic form in a changing regional order and might not survive in its current structure.

Her remarks triggered widespread reactions among Afghan politicians and social media users.

Rangin Dadfar Spanta, former foreign minister, responded by saying that scenarios predicting Afghanistan’s fragmentation have repeatedly failed throughout history.

He stressed that despite foreign interventions, Afghanistan has preserved its territorial integrity, and its people would respond to any threat.