A violent confrontation erupted in Shahran, the administrative centre of Khash district in Badakhshan province, as local farmers launched an armed protest against the Taliban’s ongoing anti-narcotics campaign.
According to local sources, tensions flared on Thursday when the Taliban’s counter-narcotics unit deployed tractors to destroy poppy fields, a primary source of livelihood for many in the region. In retaliation, residents armed themselves, clashing with Taliban forces and setting at least three government tractors ablaze.
Videos circulated on afghan media show tractors engulfed in flames, as smoke rose over the fertile plains of Shahran. Witnesses reported that the Taliban fired on the demonstrators during the standoff, though no casualties have been officially confirmed.
The unrest prompted an immediate show of force from the Taliban, with helicopter patrols deployed over Khash and neighbouring Jurm district to assert control and deter further unrest.
Taliban officials in Badakhshan have remained silent on the matter, offering no public statement as of yet.
This is not the first instance of resistance to Taliban drug enforcement in the region. On May 24, a similar protest in Farghamanch village (Jurm district) led to the death of a civilian, underscoring the growing unrest among local communities who depend on opium cultivation for survival.
Last year also saw frequent pushback from farmers in Badakhshan during poppy eradication efforts, highlighting the fragile relationship between rural livelihoods and Taliban rule.
