Afghanistan: Thousands displaced in Sar-e-Pul province due to fighting over coal mines

Kabul [Afghanistan], July 8 : Tens of thousands of people have been displaced following recent fighting between Taliban and locals in the district of Balkhab in the Sar-e-Pul province of Afghanistan for the control of the cash-rich coal mines.
Over the past several weeks, fighting has been ongoing in the remote Balkhab district that is home to five operational coal mines as well as to one of the world's largest copper reserves.
"Coal extraction had long been ongoing but started spiking three months ago, with dozens of heavily loaded trucks navigating the rough mountain terrain to Kabul every day before heading east to Pakistan, where most of the coal is sold," wrote Stefanie Glinski for the Foreign Policy Magazine.
According to Glinski, Afghan coal exports to its neighbour have surged since Indonesia, a big exporter of the type of thermal coal used in power plants, imposed an export ban earlier this year due to a domestic supply crunch.
"At least 27,000 people have been displaced following recent fighting in the district of Balkhab in the Sar-e-Pul province in the north of the country," the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a daily briefing.
"Our partners are preparing to provide food and other supplies to more than 10,000 people in Balkhab. Families have fled to neighbouring provinces in the north and to Bamyan Province in the central highlands," it added.
Amrullah Saleh, former Afghanistan vice president tens of thousands have been pushed to the edge by the Taliban. "Dear @OCHAAfg: Tens of thousands have been pushed to the edge by Talib militias. These people have simple demands i.e. want to remain who they are and resist forceful assimilation and erosion of their identity. They resist the Talib + IS-K duo onslaught. Words matter. Please add honesty to the menu," Saleh tweeted.
This news of infighting in Afghanistan comes US President Joe Biden on Wednesday notified Congress of his intent to rescind the designation of Afghanistan as a major non-NATO ally.
"The United States has decided to remove the Talib Afg from a non-NATO ally status. Wondering why it had to take ten months to realize that Afg is run by Rawalpindi sponsored HQN/Quetta Shura duo, the undeniable friends of terrorists & fanatics. Google the history of ISI/Talib & AQ," he said in a subsequent tweet.
After the Taliban took over Afghanistan in August 2021, their forces, including military and intelligence officers, have carried out many summary killings and enforced disappearances. There is no indication that they have held forces responsible for abuses accountable
Taliban security forces in northern Afghanistan's Panjshir province have unlawfully detained and tortured residents accused of association with an opposition armed group, according to Human Rights Watch.
Since mid-May 2022, fighting has escalated in the province as National Resistance Front (NRF) forces have attacked Taliban units and checkpoints.
The Taliban have responded by deploying to the province thousands of fighters, who have carried out search operations targeting communities they allege are supporting the NRF. During search operations in other provinces, Taliban forces have committed summary executions and enforced disappearances of captured fighters and other detainees, which are war crimes.