Taliban security claim erodes as insurgents retake Badakhshan district
Internal clashes and orders for military operations from the United States signal a deepening crisis for the Islamist government’s primary legitimacy narrative.
The Taliban regime in Afghanistan has lost control of the Yaftal-e Payeen district capital in Badakhshan province, marking the first displacement from a district centre since the group returned to power in August 2021. The disruption, which was reported as temporary, coincided with internal clashes among Taliban fighters and a fatal attack on high-ranking officials in the region. This event arrives less than a month before the five-year anniversary of the regime’s takeover, challenging its central claim to legitimacy: the restoration of nationwide security.
The loss of territory follows a directive issued by former Afghan army general Sami Sadat, who has been residing in the United States since the fall of the previous government. In a video message released from Washington, Sadat ordered all military members of the United Front to launch attacks against the Taliban across the country starting at 5:00 AM. While armed insurgent groups have not yet posed a major threat to the regime’s overall grip on power, experts suggest that the clashes in Badakhshan could pave the way for more impactful resistance.
Former Afghan Interior Minister Mohammad Umer Daudzai told Deutsche Welle that the opposition has evolved significantly over the past five years. He noted that both political and military forms of opposition have taken shape as the anniversary approaches, indicating a shift in the dynamics of resistance against the Islamist government.
Beyond internal insurgencies, the regime faces severe pressure from the Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP). The group has claimed responsibility for several high-profile attacks, including a suicide bombing in December 2024 that killed the Taliban’s Minister of Refugees, Khalil Ur-Rahman Haqqani. Other incidents include a January explosion at a Chinese restaurant in Kabul that killed at least seven people, further undermining the regime’s ability to protect its own officials.
The most significant external challenge stems from deteriorating relations with Pakistan, once considered a close ally. Cross-border hostilities in the first three months of 2026 resulted in 372 Afghan civilian deaths and nearly 400 injuries, according to a UN report. Pakistan accuses the Taliban of providing safe havens to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), charges the Taliban deny while accusing Islamabad of violating Afghan sovereignty.
Security expert Qamar Cheema stated that Pakistan is targeting military sites associated with the Taliban, TTP, and ISIS-K to alter their behaviour. He suggested that Islamabad is inflicting damage through direct action and regional diplomacy to signal that the Taliban are harboring terrorists.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid alleged that former officials have been invited to Pakistan to establish offices and refuges, though he provided no evidence when pressed by Deutsche Welle. Former Acting Minister of Defense Shahmohammad Miakhel warned that the regime’s governing style could enable armed rebels to challenge them in various parts of Afghanistan, potentially leading to proxy wars.
To date, only Russia has officially acknowledged the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan. Most other nations view the regime as illegitimate, particularly given its strict restrictions on women’s rights and the exile of most former government officials. The convergence of internal military setbacks and external diplomatic isolation presents a complex governance challenge for the Islamist administration.
