Hazaras & Kuchis Clash Over Pastures In Panjab District of Bamiyan Province
Sources from Panjab district in Bamiyan province told Afghanistan International that Kuchis (nomads) have attacked the pastures of several villages in the district in recent days.
According to the sources, although the Kuchis have left these villages, the efforts of Hazara villagers to drive them out resulted in a clash.
Based on information from local sources, the Kuchis attacked the pastures and advanced to several villages. However, Hazara villagers from neighbouring villages gathered and prevented the Kuchis from proceeding further.
Sources said that in response to the Hazara villagers' attempts to stop the Kuchis from entering the pastures, the Kuchis "opened fire using rifles”. In the videos received by Afghanistan International, gunfire can be heard. It is reported that no one was injured in this clash.
However, sources said that the nomads have left the Posht-e Ghor Ghori area and are currently in the Mehr and Tarpas areas.
Since the Taliban’s takeover of power in Afghanistan, nomads have repeatedly clashed with Hazara villagers in the Panjab district.
The conflict between the Kuchis and Hazara villagers in Panjab centres around claims of ownership of pastures and land.
Abdul Kabir, the deputy prime minister of the Taliban, said last year that a solution would be found "for the problem between the Kuchis and Hazaras in the light of Sharia and law”.
Following the statements of Taliban leaders last year, several members of the group signed and published a document as the "Commission for Resolving Disputes between Kuchis and Local Residents”.
This document included six articles that allowed the nomads to go to places where they claimed land ownership. If the villagers had any claims, they were to refer to the Taliban authorities.
The document also emphasised that until the disputes over pastures and land are resolved by the Taliban's Dispute Resolution Commission, neither side has the right to occupy the disputed pastures and land.
