The National Resistance Front (NRF), one of the main armed groups opposing the Taliban, said its forces attacked a Taliban checkpoint in Afghanistan’s northeastern Badakhshan province overnight, claiming one Taliban fighter was killed and two others wounded, as clashes between anti-Taliban groups and the country’s de facto authorities continue to escalate.
As reported by IRAF, the NRF said in a statement that the attack took place at around 1:00 a.m. local time on Sunday in the Shahran Manjan area of Kuran wa Munjan district.
According to the group, one Taliban member was killed and two others were injured during the operation. Local sources also confirmed that an attack targeted Taliban positions in the area, although Taliban local authorities had not commented on the incident or the reported casualties at the time of publication.
The latest attack comes amid a broader escalation of violence in Badakhshan, where armed opposition groups have stepped up operations against Taliban forces over the past week.
The Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF), another anti-Taliban group, has recently claimed advances in Zebak district, saying it shot down Taliban drones, captured several checkpoints and inflicted heavy casualties on Taliban fighters.
Independent reports have also indicated that fighting in Zebak has evolved beyond sporadic guerrilla attacks into direct, multi-front engagements, a development that analysts say may signal a shift toward more conventional battlefield confrontations.
The Taliban have responded by deploying additional special forces and military equipment to Badakhshan. Fasihuddin Fitrat, the Taliban’s army chief, has also been reported at frontline positions in Zebak.
The NRF and AFF have meanwhile announced separate attacks against Taliban positions in several other districts, including Zebak, Daraim and Andarab. Media reports have said that Taliban checkpoints in some areas briefly fell to opposition forces, forcing Taliban units to withdraw before regaining control.
The Taliban have acknowledged that some fighting has taken place but dismissed casualty figures released by opposition groups as exaggerated, maintaining that their forces repelled the attacks. Nevertheless, increased troop movements, helicopter evacuations of wounded personnel and the presence of senior Taliban commanders in Badakhshan suggest the authorities are treating the deteriorating security situation in northeastern Afghanistan as a significant challenge.
