A close associate of Taliban commander Mullah Juma Khan Fateh has reportedly been killed under mysterious circumstances in Afghanistan’s Badakhshan Province, adding to a growing series of unexplained deaths that are fueling speculation about an intensifying internal power struggle within the Taliban.
According to local sources, Abdul Khaliq Rashid, regarded as one of Juma Khan Fateh’s trusted field commanders, was killed in an incident whose circumstances remain unclear. Rashid was said to be operating in an area under the influence of the influential Badakhshan-based Taliban commander.
Sources claim Rashid’s death marks the sixth killing or death involving individuals closely linked to Juma Khan Fateh within the past 24 hours, raising questions over whether his network is being systematically dismantled amid escalating factional rivalries.
The Taliban has not issued any official statement regarding Rashid’s death or the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The latest development comes against the backdrop of widening tensions between the Taliban’s central leadership and influential local commanders in Badakhshan, where disagreements over appointments, authority, and control have reportedly intensified in recent months.
The province has increasingly emerged as one of several internal flashpoints exposing fractures within the Taliban. Alongside Badakhshan, reports of internal disputes, armed confrontations, and unexplained killings have also surfaced from Helmand, Herat, Panjshir, and Mazar-i-Sharif, reinforcing assessments that divisions inside the Taliban extend well beyond isolated local disputes.
Security observers believe the wave of killings involving figures linked to Juma Khan Fateh could represent a significant escalation in the struggle between competing Taliban factions. While the exact motive remains unclear, the absence of official explanations has further fueled speculation that influential local commanders are becoming targets in an expanding campaign linked to the movement’s internal rivalries.
