Public Dissatisfaction in Badakhshan: Taliban Open Fire on Protesters
Local sources in Badakhshan province report that Taliban fighters opened fire on a protest in Yamgan district, leaving 20 people, including two girls, injured.
Kokcha News Agency – Local sources in Badakhshan province have reported that Taliban fighters opened fire on a protest in Yamgan district on Sunday, August 26, injuring 20 people, including two girls.
The protest erupted after the Taliban appointed a man named Ghulam Mohammad as the “Malik” (local leader) of Kawjokhan village, accusing him of bribery. The decision was deemed illegal and against the will of the local residents. According to sources, the condition of nine of the injured is critical.
Protesters emphasized that the true representative of the people should be chosen by the residents themselves, not by the Taliban, who appoint individuals to spy and secure the group’s interests.
This is not the first time the Taliban have suppressed protests in Badakhshan. Earlier, protests in Khash and Jurm over the destruction of farms and mining activities also led to bloody clashes.
Observers believe that discriminatory ethnic policies and the imposition of dependent representatives have increased public distrust and dissatisfaction, potentially paving the way for larger protests in the future.
