Some numbers of residents of Nasi district in Badakhshan province staged a protest gathering on Sunday morning in response to the suspension of mining activities in the Darwaz districts. In a video obtained by Afghanistan International, the gathering appears to have taken place without any clashes or violence.
Local sources told the outlet that Juma Khan Fateh, a dissident Taliban commander, played a role in organizing the protest. In the same video, a religious school official is also seen warning that the emergence of popular uprisings could have negative consequences, urging authorities to take the rights of the people into consideration in their decision-making.
The protesters emphasized during the rally that restrictions on mining operations have led to the loss of employment opportunities in the region. According to them, the halt in extraction activities has affected the livelihoods of hundreds of families.
Based on local reports, Taliban authorities in Badakhshan and Takhar provinces suspended the operations of all local gold mining companies last month for various reasons, allowing only those companies believed to be affiliated with the Taliban to continue operating.
It has also been reported that the order to suspend gold extraction activities in the Darwaz districts was issued by local Taliban authorities in Badakhshan. This decision was implemented despite earlier similar restrictions imposed in other areas of the province.
Tensions over gold mines in Badakhshan and Takhar have escalated in recent months, repeatedly leading to violent clashes between local workers, armed groups, and Taliban-affiliated forces. In one such incident, fighting at the Qataghan gold mine in Shaki district resulted in casualties.
Traditional gold extraction in these areas has long been a primary source of income for thousands of families, and previous governments had not imposed extensive restrictions on local mining activities in this sector.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
