Detentions of Tajik Taliban field commanders linked to the influential Haqqani clan continue in Afghanistan's northern provinces, especially in Takhar, the Afghan Insider Telegram channel reported.

According to knowledgeable sources, the wave of arrests began after the detention of Hossein Jundi, a key Taliban leader in Takhar, who they unsuccessfully tried to arrest several times. According to insiders close to the Kandahar wing of the Taliban, suspicions of his possible defection to anti-Taliban forces may have been the reason for the crackdown on Jundi. The incident has highlighted growing tensions within the movement, where ethnic and factional differences are increasingly coming to the surface.

Special forces of the Taliban defence ministry have detained several other prominent Tajiks in recent days, including Bashir Kanat, Arbab Ruhollah Raufi and Nik Mohammad Hakimi. Some of the detainees have been transferred to Kandahar, sources said. Experts say such purges could provoke a new wave of armed resistance in the north of the country, where ethnic Tajiks have traditionally been strong.

The removal of commanders linked to the Haqqani clan could also weaken the influence of this key faction, which would create additional risks to the stability of the regime. Against this background, they talk increasingly about the possible consolidation of anti-Taliban forces, which could use internal rifts in the movement to resume full-scale resistance.