Taliban Redeploys 2,000 Troops from Panjshir to Helmand, Badakhshan

DID Press: Taliban government has moved more than 2,000 Ministry of Defense troops from Panjshir to the northern province of Badakhshan and southern Helmand, IRAF reports.

The redeployment comes amid rising tensions with Pakistan, unrest in Badakhshan, and the killing of five Chinese workers near the Tajik border, officials said. About 700 troops were first sent to the 219th “Omar Thalith” division in Badakhshan before being stationed in Maimai and Shekay districts along the Tajik border.

The move was reportedly ordered by Mullah Yaqub Mujahid, acting Taliban defense minister. Local sources in Panjshir confirmed a significant reduction in Taliban checkpoints and patrols.

Recent attacks have raised security concerns after at least five Chinese workers were killed along the Tajik-Afghan border, one using a drone-launched grenade from Afghan soil. Taliban officials said they condemned the attacks and offered to cooperate with Tajik authorities to identify the perpetrators.

Analysts say the troop shift reflects the Taliban’s effort to manage multiple security threats, including border tensions with Pakistan and unrest in Badakhshan, while reducing their presence in Panjshir, traditionally a focus of Taliban military operations.