Gold mining operations in the Chah-e-Ab district of Takhar province have been suspended following deadly clashes between local residents and a mining company linked to the Taliban, according to Afghan media.
Abdul Matin Qani, a spokesman for the Taliban’s Ministry of Interior, said the work of the gold mining company was stopped after violence erupted in the area. He confirmed that a local resident and an official of the mining company were arrested on suspicion of murder.
Qani said four residents were killed during the clashes, which broke out over gold extraction activities. He added that security forces have brought the situation under control and that mining in the area has been halted.
According to the Taliban official, the deputy governor of Takhar has been sent to Chah-e-Ab to investigate the incident.
However, sources told foreign media that the Taliban detained a number of local residents following the clashes, while others have reportedly gone missing. The sources also said that Mohammad Nadir Haqjo, the Taliban’s deputy governor in Takhar, traveled to the district on Tuesday, January 6, and threatened protesters during a meeting.
No official information has been released regarding the number of detainees or the fate of those reported missing.
Earlier, the Taliban confirmed that an investigative team had been dispatched to the area after clashes between miners and residents resulted in casualties and property damage, but officials did not provide detailed figures.
Local sources previously told foreign media that at least three residents and one Taliban member were killed and 16 others injured in the confrontation. The sources said protesters set fire to mining equipment, forcing company officials to leave the area.
Amid the unrest, Salahuddin Salar, the former deputy head of the Taliban’s Ministry of Defense, published a critical statement on social media, condemning what he described as corruption, tribalism, and the prioritization of personal and tribal interests over justice and the public good.
Salar warned that the concentration of national wealth and resources in the hands of a small group widens the gap between the people and those in power and undermines political legitimacy. He said the collapse of governments often begins when greed replaces wisdom and the common good, arguing that justice, accountability, and respect for human dignity are essential to prevent such decline.
Residents of Chah-e-Ab district say their protests were sparked by what they describe as unregulated gold extraction, severe environmental damage, and water shortages caused by mining activities carried out by Taliban-affiliated companies. Despite the deployment of a Taliban delegation to the area, residents say tensions remain high.
