In a joint operation with People Uprising Forces, the Afghan security and defense forces pushed back the Taliban militants who were battling to take control over rich lapis lazuli resource in Kuran wa Munjan district of Badakhshan, said a local official.
Nik Mohammad Nazari, the spokesperson for Badakhshan governor, said the Taliban carried out attacks with the support of foreign militants, on Saturday morning, May 29.
The Taliban has suffered casualties, according to him. He said the district is under the control of security forces and illegal mining has been stopped.
The Taliban has not made any comment in this regard.
In May 2019, the group briefly took control over lapis lazuli mine in Kuran wa Munjan district.
The Kuran and Munjan lapis lazuli mine is the only mine in Badakhshan province that used to get extracted illegally by a number of powerful locals, but four years ago, it was banned by the government.
