Taliban Relocates Over 2,000 Fighters from Panjshir to Helmand and Badakhshan

In a rare move, the Taliban administration has begun transferring a significant number of its military forces from Panjshir province to Badakhshan in northeastern Afghanistan and Helmand in the southwest. The large-scale redeployment started with the relocation of approximately 700 personnel to the 219th Division, also known as ‘Omar-e-Sales’, in Badakhshan. These troops were subsequently deployed to the border districts of Maimay and Shighnan, which share frontiers with Tajikistan.

According to local sources, the transfer began several days ago following orders issued by Mullah Yaqoob Mujahid, the Taliban’s acting Minister of Defense.

The troop movements come amid escalating tensions between the Taliban administration and Pakistan, rising insecurity in Badakhshan, and the recent killing of Chinese workers near the Tajikistan border. Analysts view the redeployment as an indication of shifting security priorities within the Taliban leadership.

Experts warn that such military activities could raise concerns about regional security and citizen rights in the affected areas, particularly as the Taliban continues to face strong criticism over human rights violations and a lack of accountability in responding to security challenges and transnational threats.