Azadi Front Says Fresh Clash in Zibak Forced Taliban Retreat

The Azadi Front has said a fresh clash between its forces and Taliban administration forces in Zibak district of Badakhshan province continued until late at night and ended with Taliban forces retreating.

In a statement posted on X on Wednesday, August 26, the front said at least 10 Taliban fighters were killed and six others wounded in the incident. According to the Azadi Front, the clash began yesterday afternoon and lasted until 10 p.m.

Based on the statement, a counterattack by Azadi Front forces inflicted heavy casualties on Taliban administration forces. The front also claimed that foreign fighters were among the Taliban administration forces.

The statement said Taliban administration forces moved the bodies and wounded of their personnel to unknown locations. The Azadi Front said this was done out of concern that the identities of the foreign fighters could be exposed.

The report comes as the Taliban administration has previously repeatedly denied the existence of armed resistance against it in Afghanistan. Zibak district is in the eastern part of Badakhshan province, which in recent months has repeatedly witnessed scattered clashes between armed opponents and Taliban administration forces.