KABUL: The Taliban is facing a growing internal mutiny in Afghanistan’s north-eastern Badakhshan province, where dissident commander Juma Khan Fateh has defied Kabul’s authority and tightened control over areas under his influence, prompting the deployment of Taliban forces and intelligence units after mediation efforts failed.
Local sources said Juma Khan Fateh, a Taliban commander leading the dissent in Badakhshan, has established round-the-clock checkpoints in areas under his control. The move comes despite his earlier statement that he would not initiate an armed confrontation.
According to reports, Taliban leadership has sent hundreds of special forces from Panjshir and other provinces to Badakhshan and is preparing for a possible large-scale, multi-front operation.
The latest information suggests that Taliban reinforcements have entered Shighnan district and started moving towards the Darwaz region, where Juma Khan is based.
Sources said the Taliban has also set up several security checkpoints on routes leading to Darwaz and intensified efforts to disarm local fighters. The group is collecting weapons from Taliban members in Badakhshan who are not part of its formal military units.
Juma Khan Fateh is believed to be in Nusay district with his local forces.
Reports from Shighnan said the arrival of large numbers of Taliban reinforcements created accommodation shortages at military facilities, forcing some forces to spend the night inside the district’s central hospital and occupy areas meant for patients.
With both sides reinforcing positions along the Shighnan-Darwaz axis, the security situation in Badakhshan has become increasingly tense.
