For the first time since the Taliban returned to power nearly five years ago, armed opponents of the group briefly took control of a district headquarters in Afghanistan’s northeastern Badakhshan province, according to local sources cited by Afghan media.
The incident took place in Yaftali Sufla district, where armed men reportedly seized key government facilities, including the district administration building, police headquarters, and intelligence office, before withdrawing from the area after holding control for several hours.
According to local sources, the attackers entered the district compound early on Friday and engaged Taliban personnel in a brief clash before taking control of the site. The assailants reportedly disarmed Taliban fighters stationed there, seized weapons, military equipment, and government vehicles, and raised their flag over the district compound.
Some local sources claimed that several Taliban members were taken away by the attackers after the assault. However, these claims could not be independently verified.
No immediate details were available regarding possible casualties on either side.
Afghan media, citing local sources, reported that a group calling itself the Patriotic Soldiers Front claimed responsibility for organizing the attack. The identity and strength of the group, however, remain unclear.
Following the incident, Taliban authorities dispatched additional forces from Faizabad, the provincial capital, toward Yaftali Sufla. Local sources also reported increased security measures in the area, with Taliban helicopters conducting patrols over the district.
The attack represents one of the rare instances since the Taliban takeover in August 2021 in which an armed opposition group has briefly taken control of a district-level administrative center.
Growing Security Challenges in Badakhshan
The incident comes amid increasing security challenges in Badakhshan, a strategically important province bordering Central Asia and known for its difficult mountainous terrain.
The province has witnessed repeated tensions in recent years involving armed groups opposed to Taliban rule, internal disagreements among Taliban factions, and disputes linked to control of natural resources and local revenue networks.
Local sources have previously reported dissatisfaction among some communities over the deployment of large numbers of Taliban fighters from outside Badakhshan, claiming that such deployments have contributed to local tensions.
The province has also remained affected by disputes surrounding mining areas, including gold and precious stone deposits, as well as conflicts connected with the control of economic resources.
The latest incident occurred shortly after senior Taliban officials, including defence and military leadership, visited Badakhshan to review the security situation, according to Afghan media reports.
Several armed groups opposed to Taliban rule, including the Afghanistan Freedom Front and the National Resistance Front, have maintained activities in parts of Afghanistan, including Badakhshan, although responsibility for the latest attack has not been independently confirmed.
The temporary seizure of the Yaftali Sufla district headquarters highlights the continuing security challenges facing the Taliban administration nearly five years after it returned to power. Despite maintaining control over Afghanistan’s major urban centres and government institutions, the emergence of armed challenges in strategically significant provinces indicates that opposition groups continue to test the Taliban’s security apparatus.
