Arafat Muhajir, the Taliban's head of information and culture in Nangarhar province, claimed that during protests along the Torkham-Jalalabad route, one Taliban member and "some individuals who had usurped lands" had been killed.
However, protesters said that they possess legal documents and evidence.
According to some residents of Nangarhar province and Taliban officials, the protests began after the Taliban instructed residents to vacate their homes and areas, saying that these land parcels belonged to the government.
Taliban officials argued that these properties are state-owned lands seized from the people years ago. However, local residents claim that the rightful owners of these properties are Kuchis (tribals) who have legal documents.
Meanwhile, some demonstrators have alleged that the Taliban issued orders to demolish their personal homes. Protesters informed Afghanistan International that as a result of direct firing by the Taliban at the protesters, at least three people, including a woman, were killed, and four others were injured.
Now, Muhajir claims that after the group sought to reclaim state-owned lands from "land usurpers," they incited chaos, resulting in the death of one member of the group.
However, he has not provided any explanation regarding the identity of the group member who had been killed. This Taliban official confirmed that several "land usurpers" were also killed.
Nevertheless, no precise figures regarding the casualties from the protests have been provided. Earlier, the number of fatalities was reported to be three.
While the Taliban has been targeting these protesters, the group also killed at least two residents of Darayim and Argo districts in Badakhshan province last Friday and Saturday by gunfire. This led to unprecedented protests against the Taliban in Badakhshan. Taliban officials claimed that these two residents of Badakhshan were killed "for defending the forbidden poppy cultivation”.
This is happening at a time when, following the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, people are less inclined to protest to assert their rights.
Over the past nearly three years in Afghanistan, Taliban members have largely resorted to violence against protesters.
