Taliban- First Internal Challenge Emerging in Badakhshan

Source Wikipedia Commons

Taliban could be facing the first major internal challenge in controlling the country with a series of attacks by resistance groups in Badakhshan’s Yaftali Sufla and Zebak districts. Here is a review of the activities and possible trajectory ahead.

Sepahiyan-e Mihan Front a new group claimed control of Yaftali Sufla district a central area in proximity of the provincial capital Faizabad for a brief 24 hour period in July. Afghanistan Freedom Front reported out a series of attacks in Zebak district on the borders with Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. The National Resistance  Front has mobilized in the Kuran Wa Munjan district of the same province which again borders the Chitral area of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. These areas are accessible through the Dorah Pass opposite Zebak district and the Broghol Pass in Wakhan District. The Taliban claimed to have launched air strikes possibly drones across in the Chitral areas of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. The Taliban has now taken the battle to the enemy so to say and thus indicates that it will strike the roots of the threat emanating from Pakistan.

It is possible that Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence [ISI] is exploiting the remote areas opposite Chitral facilitating infiltration of resistance forces to Badakhshan. Reports of the ISI contacting the National Resistance Front and Afghanistan Freedom Front had cropped up some months ago. Without the support of Pakistan, these groups would not have been able to access these remote areas and by motive as well the needle of suspicion points to the ISI.

Meanwhile Islamic State of Khorasan gunmen attacked Zabihullah Amiri Taliban’s information and culture chief in Badakhshan on the Baharak-Faizabad road. Amiri is the nephew of Amanuddin Mansoor, the Taliban’s governor of Helmand.

Juma Khan Fateh, a Taliban commander in Nusay has also raised flag of rebellion and his supporters are seen active in the district as well as in Warduj, and Raghistan. Fateh was briefly flown out to Kabul for negotiations with the Taliban leadership and is now back in the province where his gold mining interests are clashing with the hierarchy.

While Zabiullah Mujahid the chief Taliban spokesperson had indicated that reports of insecurity in Badakhshan are propaganda, but the military leadership has taken the threat seriously. Mohammad Yaqoob “Mujahid,” Minister of Defence, visited border forces and security posts in Badakhshan including the districts of Karan and Munjan, Zebak, Wakhan, and Pamir, and closely assessed the situation of security forces stationed in these areas.

 Amanuddin Mansoor, the Taliban’s governor of Helmand and Fasihuddin Fitrat, the group’s army chief of staff both hailing from Badakhshan is now stationed there and heavy troop deployment is reported particularly in Zebak district.

Projections

The challenge in Badakhshan province will remain a potent one. This is a geographically remote area with the Wakhan Corridor extending to China. The long border with Pakistan Occupied Kashmir [POK] and hostile terrain and weather is a vulnerability. Given tense relations between Kabul and Islamabad, the ISI will exploit these gaps to induct and support Resistance Groups as well as Islamic State of Khorasan.

As of now these are pockets of resistance in multiple districts widely spread in Badakhshan and a cohesive resistance front is unlikely in the near future. Nevertheless, Taliban’s attempts to open a trade route to China are not likely to make a headway, while pockets of resistance will continue in Badakhshan which may need diversion of forces from the Pakistan border in the South East. This could well be a preliminary objective for the ISI to be extended based on the progress achieved by the resistance.