A dispute over the destruction of poppy farms in the northeastern Darayim district in Badakhshan province has left at least four farmers dead and five others wounded.
Local sources told KabulNow that the incident occurred on Thursday in the district’s Doaba Tagab village when Taliban forces tried to destroy croplands owned by local farmers who demanded compensation before their fields were ruined.
When the Taliban refused the locals’ demand, a clash erupted between both sides. According to another source, 15 people were wounded in the clash, including the Taliban’s district commander and six other members.
The source further added that villagers were angry at the Taliban’s behavior and insisted that those involved should be held to account. The Taliban were seen setting up a checkpoint in the district fearing a local uprising.
Taliban officials in the province have yet to respond to this.
In April 2022, the Taliban announced a ban on poppy cultivation throughout the country. However, as a KabulNow Special Report found in January, the group has been enforcing the ban selectively, to control the market and ensure the price increasing.
A UN report also found that in 2022, farmers had had the most profitable year in years. Afghanistan, according to the UN, produces 80 per cent of opiate in the world.
