RASC News Agency: The Taliban’s violent crackdown on civilians in Badakhshan has taken a deadly new turn. Following two consecutive days of unrest in the embattled Khash district, credible local sources confirm that Taliban militants opened fire on unarmed mourners, killing at least one civilian and injuring several others in a fresh round of bloodshed. Among the victims was Aziz, a modest shopkeeper from Fayzabad, who had traveled to Khash to attend a funeral service for a family member himself a victim of Taliban violence just a day earlier. On his way back home, Aziz was gunned down in cold blood by Taliban fighters in what witnesses describe as an unprovoked and deliberate act of aggression.
“Taliban fighters began firing without warning,” a local eyewitness told RASC News on condition of anonymity. “Aziz had nothing to do with the protests. He was simply returning from a condolence ceremony when they shot him.” Aziz, known locally as a hardworking and peaceful man, was the sole provider for his family of eight. He ran a small shop in Fayzabad to support his household. His body was laid to rest on Tuesday, July 1, in the Chita area near the provincial capital.
The violence stems from a broader uprising in Khash, where local residents, frustrated by months of Taliban repression, arbitrary arrests, and widespread abuses, took to the streets in protest. In response, Taliban forces deployed lethal force, shooting indiscriminately into crowds and deploying intimidation tactics designed to silence dissent. Monday’s clashes alone left several civilians dead or wounded, including women. What makes the Khash tragedy even more egregious is the Taliban’s apparent intent to isolate the district. Reports confirm that the group has disabled telecommunications infrastructure in the area, effectively cutting off residents from the outside world and obstructing the flow of information a tactic increasingly used by the group to conceal atrocities.
Despite the gravity of the events, the Taliban have remained silent, offering no public statement or accountability for the deaths and injuries caused by their fighters. Their calculated silence stands in stark contrast to the pain endured by the victims’ families and the broader fear now gripping the province. The events in Khash highlight a broader pattern of escalating Taliban violence across northeastern Afghanistan. Once considered a relatively quiet province, Badakhshan has become a flashpoint for Taliban repression, particularly against ethnic and sectarian minorities who challenge the group’s absolutist grip on power.
Security analysts warn that the Taliban’s continued use of excessive force, especially in peripheral districts like Khash, is likely to fuel further instability and spark localized resistance. The group’s refusal to engage with communities or allow space for civil grievances has left residents with no avenue for peaceful redress and no choice but to resist or flee. In the absence of international oversight, Taliban-ruled districts like Khash are rapidly devolving into zones of impunity, where armed men act above the law and accountability is non-existent. For the people of Badakhshan, the cost is being measured in funerals, fear, and a future increasingly overshadowed by violence.
