Reports from local sources indicate that Taliban forces clashed violently on Monday in the Payan-Mor area of Shahr-e-Buzurg district, leaving multiple casualties in a struggle over control of a lucrative gold mine.The fighting erupted between Abdul Rahman Ammar, former head of Badakhshan’s mining department, and Shafiqullah Hafizi, the current head of mines. Both men are influential figures within the Taliban, underscoring the factionalism and personal power struggles that plague the group.
Eyewitnesses say Taliban border battalion forces sided with Hafizi, engaging Ammar’s loyalists. At least one border battalion member was reportedly killed during the clashes. Despite no longer holding an official position, Ammar continues to wield significant influence, commanding armed fighters and maintaining a stockpile of weapons, reflecting the Taliban’s inability to centralize authority.
This incident marks yet another outbreak of internal fighting in Shahr-e-Buzurg, occurring just three days after a similar armed confrontation. Local authorities say reinforcements were dispatched from the provincial capital to prevent further escalation, highlighting the ongoing instability in the region.
The Taliban has not issued any official statement regarding the incident. Observers warn that such internal conflicts over natural resources reveal the group’s chronic mismanagement and opportunism. Over the past four years, the Taliban has increasingly focused on mining operations to generate revenue. Yet the lack of transparency in mineral extraction and the opaque use of these funds have fueled widespread criticism and distrust among local communities.
The violent struggle over a gold mine in Badakhshan not only endangers local populations but also underscores the Taliban’s prioritization of personal gain over governance, public safety, and economic accountability.
