Armed Attack on Taliban Commander in Badakhshan.
Gul Khan Fateh, a local Taliban commander in Badakhshan province, was targeted in an armed attack on 14 January 2026.
Reports indicate that the attack was carried out by one of his own bodyguards, and he was shot. His current health status is unknown, and further details about the incident are not yet available.
The Taliban commander has previously been accused of involvement in cross-border attacks and participation in the killing of Chinese citizens in Tajikistan.
His presence in border areas and military activities have raised concerns among local and regional authorities, and he is known for a history of cross-border violence.
According to credible sources, similar attacks targeting Chinese personnel and projects near the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border, particularly in Badakhshan province, have occurred over the past few months, generating serious security concerns.
These incidents illustrate the ongoing security threats in border regions and the complexity of Taliban activity in local areas. In response, the Taliban previously dispatched an official delegation to Badakhshan to investigate the situation.
News sources also note that the Taliban maintain a mechanism known as “elimination,” whereby members of the group who cause unrest, disobedience, or threaten internal cohesion are pursued, assassinated, or removed a system that demonstrates strict control over the group’s hierarchy and the behavior of lower-level members.
