The Taliban-affiliated Hurriyat media outlet has reported that Juma Khan Fateh, a dissatisfied local Taliban commander, returned to Darwaz district in Badakhshan Province on Saturday, July 11, after “making a commitment and declaring loyalty” to the Taliban administration.
According to the report, Juma Khan Fateh had been transferred from Darwaz to Faizabad under the guarantee of Fasihuddin Fitrat, the Taliban’s Chief of Army Staff, for talks. Hurriyat did not disclose further details about the content of the commitment or the declaration of loyalty.
In recent weeks, Juma Khan Fateh had emerged as one of the critical voices within the Taliban, raising objections to several decisions by the group’s leadership, including the management of local affairs, the disarmament of his forces, and the administration of natural resources in Badakhshan.
Badakhshan is home to valuable mineral resources, particularly significant gold deposits. Some reports and analyses suggest that competition over control of these gold mines has been one of the factors contributing to internal disputes and tensions among certain Taliban commanders in the province. However, the Taliban have not officially confirmed these claims.
Source: Reported by Hurriyat, a Taliban-affiliated media outlet.