KABUL, Afghanistan: A dissident Taliban regime commander has called on Afghans to take up arms against the Taliban regime as heavy fighting continued between his forces and Taliban fighters in a remote district of northern Badakhshan province.
Dissident Taliban Commander Juma Khan Fateh said in an audio message that clashes were under way in Nusay district of Badakhshan province and urged his fighters and local residents to join the fighting against the Taliban regime.
“Send my greetings to the people. The people should start fighting,” Fateh said in the audio message obtained by Afghanistan International on Wednesday.
جمعهخان فاتح، فرمانده ناراضی گروه ط-البان، روز چهارشنبه ۲۱ اسد/مرداد، با انتشار یک پیام صوتی، از مردم و نیروهای خود خواست تا جنگ در برابر گروه ط-البان را آغاز کنند.
این درخواست همزمان با ادامه درگیریهای سنگین میان نیروهای او و گروه ط-البان قندهاری در شهرستان نسی بدخشان مطرح… pic.twitter.com/9Z09dAdTKq
— The Khorasan Times | خراسان تایمز (@tktpersian) August 12, 2026
Clashes in mountainous areas
Fighting between Taliban regime forces and fighters loyal to Fateh began on Tuesday evening, according to local sources cited by Afghanistan International and Amu TV.
Local sources told Afghanistan International that Taliban regime forces had attacked fighters under Fateh’s command. Heavy fighting was reported on Wednesday in Khughaz and several other areas of Nusay, where Fateh’s forces are positioned.
Clashes were continuing sporadically on Wednesday, Amu TV reported while citing local sources. One source said both sides had suffered casualties.
The sources said the Taliban regime had sent additional forces to Nusay on Wednesday morning under the command of Mawlawi Ghulam, deputy commander of a Taliban regime military division in Badakhshan.
One source told Amu TV that Fateh and his fighters were positioned in mountainous areas, while Taliban regime forces had deployed in the district centre.
Dispute over mining activities
The fighting follows months of tensions between Fateh and the Taliban regime over mining activities in Badakhshan.
Fateh previously served as the Taliban regime’s deputy governor of Zabul province. However, he refused to take up the post after relatives of his were detained by the Taliban regime governor of Badakhshan in connection with mining activities.
Fateh has since become increasingly critical of the Taliban regime. In a recent speech, he claimed that he commanded about 10,000 fighters across Afghanistan.
Sources cited by Afghanistan International said Taliban helicopters had been sent to Nusay to evacuate fighters killed and wounded in the clashes.
They said permission had not yet been granted to remove the bodies of Taliban regime fighters killed in the fighting.
