Explosion hits near Taliban-run educational centre in Badakhshan

Local sources say an explosion occurred at noon on Wednesday, Sept. 16, in the Dasht-e-Qargh area, near the Badakhshan University intersection and beside the former teacher-training centre in Faizabad. According to these sources, the building was later repurposed into one of the Taliban administration’s educational-jihadi centres, and the movement of Taliban personnel there has been notable.

Witnesses said the blast was heard suddenly, and minutes later Taliban forces blocked roads leading to the scene. Residents also said Taliban security forces have been widely deployed around the religious school and are not allowing people or journalists to get close to the area.

So far, no precise information has been released on the nature of the explosion, the extent of the damage or possible casualties. Some local sources have suggested that a Taliban security official may have been targeted, but this claim has not yet been confirmed by independent sources.

The incident comes as Badakhshan has seen a rise in insecurity and attacks in recent weeks. Earlier, explosions were also reported near Badakhshan University and along routes leading to Faizabad — incidents that, according to local sources, have usually been met with silence from the Taliban administration, with details released late or not at all.

Faizabad is the capital of Badakhshan province, and Badakhshan University is one of the city’s best-known landmarks. Dasht-e-Qargh is also among the urban areas of the provincial capital and has been mentioned several times in recent security reports.