Taliban Deputy Governor Reports Commanding 10,000 Fighters in Zabul
Juma Khan Fateh, the deputy governor of the Taliban administration in Zabul, announced that about 10,000 Taliban members operate under his command. He made these remarks during a gathering in the Nusay district of Badakhshan.
Fateh dismissed reports of disagreements between him and Taliban officials in Kandahar, stating that there is no tension or conflict with the administration’s authorities. This comes amid recent weeks’ rumors about internal disputes in some regions.
Previously, Fateh was considered one of the influential Taliban figures in Badakhshan before being transferred to Zabul province, which holds significant security and geographical importance in southern Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, some sources have reported that Fateh, in a meeting with Fasihuddin Fatrat, the chief of staff of the Taliban army, agreed to disarm all ‘unauthorized armed individuals’ affiliated with him. If confirmed, this issue raises questions about the existence and role of informal forces within the Taliban’s security structure—a matter that has consistently concerned residents and monitoring organizations.
