Powerful Blast Near Taliban Base in Panjshir Sparks Suspicion of Drone Attack

DID Press: A powerful explosion has struck northern Panjshir province. Local sources reporting the possible use of small drones near a major Taliban base. Residents say the blast occurred close to a Taliban compound in the village of Manjinsto, raising suspicions that armed opposition groups may have employed lightweight drones—tools that have not previously been associated with anti-Taliban fighters.

According to informed sources, on the evening of Monday, Dec. 8, a loud explosion was heard near a Taliban base located in Manjinsto village, in the Abdullah Khil Valley of Panjshir. Taliban forces immediately cordoned off the area after the incident, preventing local residents from approaching, sources added.

Because of the Taliban’s strict information controls and tight security measures, the extent of casualties or damage remains unknown. However, some local sources say the compound—established inside the home of Mawlawi Malik, former deputy head of Panjshir’s Council of Ulema—is under complete Taliban control, making ground assaults or mine-planting operations highly unlikely.

This situation has strengthened the possibility that small drones may have been used. If confirmed, it would mark a significant shift in the operational tactics of armed groups opposing the Taliban. Until now, there have been no reports of anti-Taliban forces deploying attack drones.

It is worth recalling that on November 26, Tajikistan’s Foreign Ministry announced that three Chinese nationals were killed when employees of the “Shaheen SM” gold-mining company came under attack from the Afghan side of the border. According to Tajik authorities, the assault involved firearms and a drone carrying a grenade—an event that shows Afghanistan’s landscape is increasingly becoming a battleground for armed groups using simple yet lethal drones.

Some Panjshir residents have previously said the Taliban have converted several civilian homes in multiple villages into military posts, a move that has heightened tension and insecurity in residential areas.

The latest explosion in Panjshir raises serious questions about a potential security breach near one of the Taliban’s key bases in the province and may signal the emergence of a new phase in the patterns of armed conflict.