Taliban face new armed fronts in Badakhshan and Kabul five years after takeover
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Five years after the Taliban returned to power on August 15, 2021, new anti-Taliban groups have briefly captured a district center in Badakhshan and claimed attacks in Kabul, Kandahar, Helmand, and Badghis. Residents of Badakhshan's Zebak and Yaftal districts say Taliban fighters have turned schools and mosques into bases while villagers struggle to feed their families. Established fronts led by Ahmad Massoud and Yasin Zia continue fighting, though independent verification of casualties remains impossible.
New Armed Groups
Last month, the new group Sipahiyan-i-Mihan briefly captured the center of Yaftal-e Payeen district in Badakhshan, disarmed Taliban personnel, and raised its flag before withdrawing. The Taliban said the fighters fled when reinforcements arrived; the group called the withdrawal voluntary. It was the first time since August 2021 that a district center had fallen out of Taliban control. This week, the Republic Front of Afghanistan said it targeted a vehicle carrying the Taliban intelligence chief for Kabul's 18th district and claimed he was killed; local sources confirmed an explosion but not casualties. The U.S.-based Afghanistan United Front, led by General Sami Sadat, announced Operation Muharib and claimed attacks in Kandahar, Helmand, and Badghis.
Established Fronts
The National Resistance Front, led by Ahmad Massoud, and the Afghanistan Freedom Front, led by former army chief General Yasin Zia, have continued and expanded operations. Freedom Front fighters and Taliban forces have clashed for weeks in Badakhshan's Zebak district, with both sides claiming gains and heavy casualties that cannot be independently verified. Residents confirmed days of fighting, Taliban reinforcements, house-to-house searches, and a frontline visit by Taliban chief of army staff Fasihuddin Fitrat.
What's Next
The Taliban have sent reinforcements to Badakhshan and prepared a larger operation against Sipahiyan-i-Mihan, though no decisive assault has been publicly reported. It remains unclear whether the new fronts can sustain district-level challenges or coordinate with the established resistance.
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Taliban face new armed fronts in Badakhshan and Kabul five years after takeover
