Residents of Khwaja Bahauddin district of Takhar province tell Zan Times that the Taliban forcibly displaced 350 families and handed over their homes and land to nomads.
In September, Taliban officials met with residents and nomads in the district after clashes left 15 injured. The Taliban ordered both parties not to infringe on the other’s property.
Residents of Mohajir Qashlan village in the district say the nomads resumed the conflict on the night of Monday, October 3. A resident who spoke to Zan Times on the condition of anonymity, says, “The nomads were trying to throw a hand grenade at a resident’s house, but this hand grenade exploded prematurely and injured three of the nomads themselves.” On Tuesday, local Taliban authorities came to this village and ordered 350 families to leave their homes.
On the next day, Wednesday, October 5, the source says, “the deputy governor of the Taliban in Takhar came to the region with 50 Taliban gunmen and reiterated their decision to evacuate the residents forcibly.” The sources say that the Taliban gave the village residents three days to leave the village. Some of the residents of this village have now moved to neighbouring villages, but others have nowhere to go.
Another resident confirmed the forcible displacement of the families, saying, “The problem is that most of these families have nowhere to go, and they have to set up a tent somewhere.”
Residents of Khawaja Bahauddin district say the nomads who took their lands and property are Kochis who came to Takhar province from Pakistan. Upon their arrival in the area, the armed nomads began threatening residents. A village resident tells Zan Times that the nomads are not only supported by the Taliban but are equipped with heavy weapons.
Residents in other provinces, including Bamyan, Daikundi, Uruzgan, Ghazni, and Ghor, are also complaining about nomads encroaching on their properties, again with support from the Taliban.
