RAWANews, July 2, 2025

Deadly Clashes Erupt Between Taliban and Locals in Badakhshan’s Khash District

Taliban’s brutal poppy eradication campaign leaves locals with no means to survive; reports say up to 15 civilians killed in Badakhshan crackdown

Fresh violence has broken out in Khash district of Badakhshan province, where armed clashes between Taliban forces and local residents have resulted in at least seven deaths and more than 40 injuries, local sources report. Some news outlets have reported that up to 15 people were killed by the Taliban during the crackdown.

The unrest began after Taliban fighters intervened in a funeral ceremony for victims of earlier violence in the area. Residents opposed their presence, triggering violent confrontations. According to health officials at a local hospital 7 people were were killed on Monday, and one more was killed on Tuesday. At least 12 others were wounded in Tuesday’s clashes alone.

In response to growing tensions, the Taliban have reportedly cut telecommunications in the district and deployed special forces via helicopter to suppress further resistance. Taliban-appointed governor of Badakhshan, Mohammad Ayub Khalid, confirmed the casualties, attributing them to "accidental fire" by Taliban fighters.

Locals carry the bodies of those killed in the Taliban’s violent crackdown.

The clashes were reportedly sparked by a Taliban operation aimed at destroying local poppy fields, part of a broader effort to eliminate opium production. But for many in these areas, cultivating poppy is not a choice — it's a means of survival. People are extremely poor, and the Taliban provide no alternative livelihood or support; families are left with no other option but to grow opium in order to feed their children. The killing of farmers during the operation provoked widespread anger, with residents blocking roads to Fayzabad and Baharak and storming the Khash district governor’s office, damaging parts of the building.

This is not the first time such violence has erupted in Badakhshan, a province known for its significant role in Afghanistan’s opium cultivation and trafficking. Similar incidents occurred last year in Jurm district under comparable circumstances.

The current situation in Khash remains highly volatile, with fears mounting among residents over further violence and isolation amid the communications blackout.

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