The Taliban has reinforced its military presence in Afghanistan's Badakhshan province and is preparing a large-scale operation following an increase in attacks by armed opposition groups, Afghanistan International reports, citing sources familiar with the developments.
The sources said the Taliban has deployed additional forces and senior commanders to the northeastern province in response to growing resistance activity.
The preparations follow a series of attacks that have heightened security concerns among the group's leadership.
Reinforcements have recently been sent to Zebak district, where troops have been deployed across several locations. New checkpoints have also been established in parts of the province, including Yaftal, while security measures have been tightened throughout Badakhshan. The sources described the overall security situation as "fragile."
The increased military presence comes after the newly formed Sepah-e Mihan Front claimed a surprise attack in Yaftal-e Payin district, during which it briefly seized control of the area and disarmed Taliban fighters. The Afghanistan Freedom Front later launched a separate attack on Taliban positions in Zebak district.
The Taliban has also stepped up night patrols and guard duties across much of Badakhshan amid concerns over further guerrilla attacks, the sources noted.
According to them, Amanuddin Mansoor, the Taliban's governor of Helmand province, and Fasihuddin Fitrat, the group's chief of army staff, are currently in Badakhshan.
Mansoor attended the funeral on Wednesday of Zabihullah Amiri, the Taliban's head of information and culture in Badakhshan. Amiri, who was also Mansoor's nephew, was killed on Tuesday when unidentified gunmen riding motorcycles attacked him on the Baharak–Faizabad road.
The sources stressed that the Taliban's failure to identify those responsible for the killing has angered local commanders and officials and intensified security concerns within the group's leadership.
They also said Juma Fateh, a Taliban commander reportedly at odds with the group's leadership, has not withdrawn his forces from their positions. His brother was described as one of the strongest advocates of confronting the Taliban.
The Taliban is also concerned about what sources described as a shifting balance of power on the battlefield. According to the sources, fighters from the Afghanistan Freedom Front are positioned in the mountainous areas of Badakhshan with heavy weapons and equipment, making any Taliban offensive more challenging.
The developments come amid an increase in attacks by armed groups opposed to Taliban rule, particularly the Afghanistan Freedom Front, which recently claimed it had captured several key Taliban positions in the mountains of Zebak district and shot down two Taliban drones.
Recent killings of Taliban officials in Badakhshan and Sar-e Pul, coupled with the rise in opposition activity, have further heightened the group's security concerns, the sources said.
By Bakhtiyar Abbasov
