Armed resistance against the Taliban has intensified in northern Afghanistan, with anti-Taliban groups launching coordinated attacks on military and administrative positions in Badakhshan province, signalling one of the most significant escalations in armed opposition since the Taliban returned to power in 2021.
The latest fighting erupted in Zebak district, where the Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF) said its fighters launched a large-scale, multi-directional assault on Taliban military positions in the Topkhana area during the night of July 23-24.
In a statement, the AFF claimed its forces killed 21 Taliban fighters, including several field commanders, and wounded 37 others during the ongoing clashes. The group said Taliban reinforcements, supported by helicopter-borne commandos, were deployed to the area, but repeated attempts to recapture key positions had failed.
According to the AFF, its fighters pushed Taliban forces from strategic high ground surrounding the Zebak Border Battalion, seized weapons, ammunition and military equipment, and destroyed Taliban positions during the operation. The resistance group said one of its fighters was killed.
AFF Political Committee Chairman Daoud Naji described the battle as entering a “new phase”, calling it part of Afghanistan’s broader struggle for liberation from Taliban rule.
The Taliban administration has not officially confirmed the AFF’s casualty claims. However, Taliban-linked outlet Radio Hurriyat, citing the Taliban’s 219 Omar Salis Division, acknowledged that fighting was underway in the Topkhana area. It claimed five opposition fighters were killed and alleged that the attackers had crossed into Afghanistan from Pakistan’s Chitral district.
Badakhshan Emerging as Centre of Armed Resistance
The latest clashes follow another significant development in Badakhshan earlier this month.
On July 17, the newly established anti-Taliban group Sepah-e Mihan (Soldiers of the Homeland) briefly captured key government installations in Yaftali Sufla district, including the district administration building, police headquarters and intelligence offices.
The group claimed it disarmed Taliban personnel and seized weapons, ammunition, military vehicles and other equipment before withdrawing from the area.
The temporary loss of district headquarters marked one of the most significant territorial setbacks for the Taliban since returning to power in August 2021.
Resistance Groups Expanding Operations
Military analysts say armed resistance appears to be expanding beyond the traditional strongholds of Panjshir and Andarab into northeastern Afghanistan.
The Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF) remains one of the most active anti-Taliban armed organisations, carrying out coordinated attacks against Taliban military installations across several provinces.
The National Resistance Front (NRF) also continues operations in northern and central Afghanistan, while newly formed groups such as Sepah-e Mihan indicate growing armed opposition in Badakhshan.
The AFF was established after the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in 2021 and is led by former Afghan Army Chief of Staff General Yasin Zia. The organisation consists largely of former Afghan National Defence and Security Forces personnel and has claimed responsibility for hundreds of attacks against Taliban forces in provinces including Panjshir, Kabul, Balkh and Herat.
The renewed fighting in Badakhshan comes amid reports of increasing resistance activity across northern Afghanistan, suggesting anti-Taliban groups are attempting to open multiple fronts against the Taliban administration.
