Tajik Taliban Commanders Arrested in North Afghanistan – SpecialEurasia

Executive Summary This report examines the recent arrests of ethnic Tajik Taliban commanders in northern Afghanistan, highlighting emerging internal rifts within the movement, particularly between the Kandahar leadership and the Haqqani Network. The report explores how these developments may trigger renewed instability in historically restive regions, such as Takhar and Badakhshan. The geopolitical context of this analysis includes increasing Russian and Chinese engagement with the Taliban, and the possibility of a clandestine return of US intelligence assets, which sheds further light on internal conflicts. By assessing both domestic power struggles and external strategic competition, the report provides a forward-looking appraisal of Afghanistan’s short- to medium-term trajectory. Key Takeaways The Taliban leadership in Kandahar is conducting a systematic purge of non-Pashtun elements, primarily Tajiks linked to the Haqqani Network, reflecting rising mistrust and internal fractures. Internal confrontation and fractures among the Taliban might provide a fertile ground for external actors and local terrorist groups such as the ISKP. Russia, China, and the United States have intensified their interest in the Afghan dynamics putting pressure on the Taliban. Background Information In early April 2025, according to the Russian Telegram Channel Afganskiy Insaider, the Taliban’s Ministry of Defence launched a series of operations
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