KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Local sources in Badakhshan say that at least two people have been killed and several others injured following “gunfire by Taliban forces” at protesters in Argo District.
According to sources, the protests began yesterday morning (Friday, May 8) in the village of Aten Jelo in Argo District following tensions between the Taliban and local residents over the destruction of poppy fields, and they are still ongoing.
Sources said that yesterday morning, after tensions escalated between the Taliban and local residents, Taliban forces opened fire on the people, killing one young man and injuring three others.
According to information from sources, this morning (Saturday, May 9), Taliban forces again opened fire on protesters in the village, killing an elderly man named Abdul Rahim and injuring several others.
Sources said that local residents, after yesterday’s shooting, placed the body of the young man who was killed beside the Badakhshan–Takhar highway as a sign of protest and temporarily blocked the road.
According to reports, the road has now been reopened, but tensions between local residents and Taliban forces remain high, and there is a possibility that protests could spread across Argo District.
Sources also said that the Taliban have shut down telecommunications network antennas in the village of Aten Jelo and have intensified efforts to suppress the protests.
Some sources also reported that the Taliban governor, police chief, and intelligence chief of Badakhshan went to Aten Jelo village to hold talks with the protesters, but it remains unclear whether the protesters will meet with them. According to sources, the protesters refused to meet with a Taliban delegation yesterday.
Local residents accuse the Taliban of harassing and mistreating them “under the pretext” of destroying poppy fields and say they are subjected to “insulting” and “humiliating” treatment.
Residents of Badakhshan in northeastern Afghanistan have repeatedly clashed with Taliban forces in recent years over the destruction of poppy fields. Similar clashes in previous years have also left several local residents dead and injured following gunfire by Taliban counter-narcotics forces. The main centers of these clashes have been Darayim and Argo districts.
Taliban authorities have not yet commented on the latest unrest and protests in Badakhshan, but in previous years they ended similar protests by sending delegations from Kabul.
The latest violence highlights growing tensions in Badakhshan over anti-narcotics operations and reflects broader frustration among local communities, where disputes over crop destruction and alleged heavy-handed enforcement have repeatedly triggered deadly confrontations.
Tensions in Badakhshan have repeatedly escalated in recent years, particularly over anti-narcotics operations targeting poppy cultivation, which is a key source of income for many rural households in the province. Local communities have often reported confrontations with Taliban forces during eradication campaigns, especially in districts such as Argo and Darayim.
These incidents reflect a long-standing cycle of mistrust between local residents and authorities, where economic hardship, limited livelihood alternatives, and strict enforcement measures have contributed to recurring protests and clashes. Critics argue that heavy-handed approaches to enforcement have at times intensified local resentment, while authorities maintain that the operations are part of national efforts to curb drug production.
