Local sources in Afghanistan’s Badakhshan province have reported that five members of the Taliban were killed and two others were injured in Nusay district. According to these sources, the casualties occurred after a vehicle carrying Taliban personnel plunged into a river.
Conflicting accounts have emerged regarding the cause of the incident. Some local sources claim that the vehicle fell into the river following a rocket strike, while others describe it as a traffic accident caused by the vehicle veering off the road. No official source has yet confirmed either version of events.
Speculation about a possible armed attack has arisen because the personnel were part of a Taliban convoy deployed to Nusay district. Reports indicate that the deployment followed opposition attributed to Jamaluddin (Juma Khan) Fateh, a Tajik commander aligned with the Taliban. It is said that Taliban forces were sent to Badakhshan to disarm units affiliated with him.
Some journalists in northeastern Afghanistan, citing local sources, have also published a list of the alleged casualties. According to this list, the deceased were originally from the provinces of Maidan Wardak, Logar, and Paktia. Based on these reports, it has been claimed that the personnel had recently been deployed to Badakhshan to address escalating tensions. These claims have not been independently verified.
The incident coincided with the visit of Taliban Defense Minister Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob to Badakhshan province. The Taliban Ministry of Defense stated that he visited border districts of the province and emphasized strengthening border forces and deploying additional troops to ensure security in the region.
Meanwhile, some unofficial reports suggest that Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob’s visit to Badakhshan was intended to address internal tensions and resolve disputes with a local Taliban commander. However, the Ministry of Defense did not refer to these claims in its official statement.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
