Anti-Taliban resistance steps up Badakhshan offensive in July: Report

ISLAMABAD: A US-based research institute, the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), has said that anti-Taliban resistance groups significantly increased their operations in northeastern Afghanistan’s Badakhshan province during the final two weeks of July, briefly capturing a district center and intensifying pressure on Taliban forces.

A recent FDD’s Long War Journal said, “the most notable development occurred on July 17, when the newly formed Sepahiyan-e Mihan (Homeland Soldiers Front) launched an attack on the Yaftali Sufla district center with around 25 fighters.”

It added that the group reportedly held the district center for several hours before withdrawing, marking the first time since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in August 2021 that a district center temporarily fell out of Taliban control.

The interim Taliban government acknowledged the temporary loss of the district center, attributing it to the absence of local officials and later claiming that several people linked to the attack had been arrested. Taliban Chief of Army Staff Fasihuddin Fitrat visited the district after the assault and repeated those claims. 

However, Homeland Soldiers Front leader Qayum Malang rejected the Taliban's account in an audio message released on July 22, denying that his fighters had been detained.

According to the FDD report, the offensive was followed by additional attacks across Badakhshan. On July 23, the Afghan Freedom Front (AFF), led by former Afghan Armed Forces Chief of General Staff Yasin Zia, claimed it had seized several Taliban outposts in Zebak district and retained control despite Taliban counterattacks. 

The AFF also said it shot down two Taliban drones during the fighting.

The same day, Ahmad Massoud's National Resistance Front claimed responsibility for an attack on a Taliban outpost in Kuran wa Munjan district, reporting one Taliban fighter killed and two wounded.

The FDD report says there is no confirmed evidence of operational coordination among the resistance groups. However, growing contacts between anti-Taliban factions suggest increasing cooperation, with Badakhshan emerging as a key battleground against Taliban rule.