The Kabul Tribune (KT) — An anti-Taliban armed group briefly seized control of the Yaftal-e-Paeen district headquarters in Afghanistan’s northeastern Badakhshan province early Friday before withdrawing several hours later, according to local sources who spoke to The Kabul Tribune.
At least three local sources said that dozens of
anti-Taliban fighters launched an assault on the district headquarters early
Friday morning, disarmed Taliban personnel stationed there and temporarily took
control of the district administration building.
According to the sources, the fighters identified themselves
as members of a newly formed group calling itself Sepahian-e Mihan (Soldiers of
the Homeland). During the operation, they raised the group's flag over the
district administration compound, the sources said.
The fighters later withdrew from the district, though their
destination remains unknown. It was not immediately clear whether the clash
resulted in casualties.
The Taliban had not publicly commented on the reported
attack as of Friday.
If independently verified, the incident would represent the
first known instance since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021 in
which an Afghan district headquarters was temporarily taken out of the group's
control, even if only for several hours.
The Kabul Tribune could not independently verify the
accounts, and no official statements had been issued by Taliban authorities or
the group claiming responsibility for the operation.
