Suspicious clash in Zabul; Taliban claims to be fighting “robbers,” but accounts differ
A fresh armed clash between Taliban forces and unidentified individuals in Qalat city, the capital of Zabul province, left two people dead and one injured. Another person managed to escape from the scene.
Local sources confirmed the incident to the media on Thursday, July 9, saying the clash took place in Qalat’s second security zone. The Taliban claim the incident occurred after gunmen attempted to steal a taxi and that their forces intervened to prevent the theft.
According to Taliban officials, their forces intervened during an argument between the driver and the gunmen, which led to a shootout.
But details that have reached the media from local sources show different dimensions of the incident. According to reports, one of the armed men involved was in possession of a Taliban uniform and weapon, which strengthens the hypothesis of the Taliban’s own forces’ involvement in the incident.
Local observers say that many cases of theft, extortion, and even targeted killings in areas under Taliban control are carried out by members of the group themselves or people affiliated with them. However, the Taliban always try to attribute such incidents to “thieves” or “ISIS elements” to evade responsibility for insecurity.
There have been several recorded cases in the past where the Taliban have killed armed opponents or even unarmed critics of theirs by labeling them “ISIS members” or “thieves,” distorting the official narrative.
