Key points
- Locals protest Chinese-run gold project
- Higher casualties reported by local media
- Taliban send delegation to investigate
ISLAMABAD: At least four people were killed and several others injured during clashes between operators of a Chinese-run gold mine and local residents in north-eastern Afghanistan, officials said.
Violence erupted Tuesday in Chah Ab district, Takhar province, leaving three residents and one company employee dead, with five others wounded, Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qane said.
The cause of the clashes and the ownership of the company were not specified. Qane added that two suspects — a company security employee and a local resident — have been arrested, and security forces have restored order. The deputy governor of Takhar also visited the district to assess the situation.
Qane confirmed that four people — three local residents and one employee of the mining company — lost their lives, while five others were wounded in the violence.
Local broadcaster Amu TV, however, reported higher casualties, saying at least six people were killed and 16 were injured during the attack and subsequent clashes at the Samti gold mine in Chah Ab district of Takhar province on Tuesday.
No Chinese nationals working at the site were reported injured.
A spokesperson for the Taliban-run Ministry of Mines, Humayoun Afghan, said a joint delegation led by the Taliban governor of Takhar province had been sent to the area to investigate the incident.
Chinese company
The Samti gold mine, which was awarded to a Chinese company by the Taliban in May 2024, has previously been the focus of protests by local residents.
Communities have accused both the company and authorities of “theft and looting,” alleging that mining operations have caused damage to homes, farmland and local livelihoods.
The Samti project is valued at around $310 million and is located close to the Noor Aba gold mine, which is believed to contain between 12 and 24 tonnes of gold.
The incident highlights persistent tensions in Taliban-controlled areas, where local communities frequently clash with foreign companies over resource extraction and environmental concerns.
