During the third consecutive day of civil unrest in Badakhshan on Sunday, participants of the public demonstrations issued a formal demand for the Taliban to surrender the individual accountable for the death of a local citizen by Taliban forces.

Although the complete details of the demand have yet to be disclosed, it has been reported that the inhabitants of the Argu and Darayim districts are calling for the removal of Taliban personnel who do not speak the local languages natively from the region.

An individual protesting in Argu voiced their concerns, stating, “We no longer wish to have those from other provinces, whose language we do not understand and who have forced their way into our homes, remain in our area.”

The protests in Badakhshan took a more severe turn following the death of a young man, Abdul Basit, by Taliban forces, which was sparked by disagreements over the eradication of poppy cultivation in Argu. Originating in Darayim three days prior, the demonstrations have expanded to include Argu.

The burial ceremony for Abdul Basit took place on Sunday.

Earlier reports also highlighted the death of an elderly man, Nizamuddin Bay, by Taliban forces in Darayim, Badakhshan, on Friday, under similar circumstances.

Over the course of these protests, it has been reported that fifteen civilians have suffered injuries.

In response to the escalating tensions, the Taliban have sent a delegation led by Fasihuddin Fitrat, a notable Taliban military leader from Badakhshan, with Shamsuddin Shariat, the head of the Taliban’s leadership order monitoring department and a resident of the Kusham district in Badakhshan, to manage the situation.

The ongoing protests have elicited a broad spectrum of responses. The Islamic Society Party, under the leadership of Salahuddin Rabbani and predominantly active in Badakhshan, issued a statement condemning the oppression, tyranny, and discrimination perpetrated by the Taliban as the root causes of the unrest.

The statement highlighted, “The citizens of Badakhshan and all Afghan nationals recognize that the Taliban, with its oppressive and self-serving agenda, lacks any legitimate or altruistic objectives towards the esteemed populace of the nation, effectively holding Afghanistan captive through its terrorist activities.”

Additionally, several prominent figures from the previous government, including Rahmatullah Nabil, Latif Pedram, Fawzia Koofi, and Amrullah Saleh, have expressed their support for the public demonstrations. Despite these developments, the Taliban asserts that they have the situation under control.