Clashes broke out in the Chah-e-Aab district of Afghanistan’s Takhar province after Taliban accompanying a gold mining operation came into conflict with local residents near a populated area, leaving several people injured on both sides.
Video footage circulating on social media shows local residents pelting stones at Taliban, while gunfire can be heard in the background. The footage also captures people fleeing the scene following the sound of shots. In the same video, personnel linked to the gold mining operation can be seen present in the area alongside heavy machinery.
According to sources cited by Afghan media, the company involved was attempting to begin gold mining operations when local residents opposed the move and confronted company representatives and accompanying Taliban. The resistance reportedly escalated into violent clashes.
Eyewitnesses said that unidentified individuals who arrived in the village for gold exploration fired shots into the air in an attempt to disperse the crowd, injuring at least one person. Protesters responded by throwing stones at company vehicles, leading to further injuries during the confrontation.
The incident highlights growing tensions surrounding mining activities across Afghanistan. Over the past four years, the Taliban have increasingly focused on exploiting the country’s mineral resources across multiple provinces. Critics have repeatedly raised concerns about the lack of transparency surrounding mining contracts and the use of revenues generated from natural resources under Taliban rule.
