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Afghans Attack Chinese Company Gold Mine in Northeastern Afghanistan, Killing 4, Dozen Injured

By The South Asia Times

KABUL —At least four people were killed and several others injured during violent clashes at a Chinese-operated gold mine in northeastern Afghanistan, officials said on Wednesday.

Taliban Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul Matin Qanay confirmed that four people — including three local residents and one company employee — were killed, while five others were injured in the clashes.

However, local media outlet Amu TV reported that at least six people were killed and 16 others wounded during the attack and clashes at the Samti gold mine in Chah Ab district of Takhar province on Tuesday.

There have been no reports of injuries among Chinese citizens working at the mine.

A Taliban-run mines ministry spokesperson, Humayoun Afghan, said that a joint delegation led by the Taliban governor of Takhar had been dispatched to investigate the incident.

The Samti gold mine, awarded to a Chinese company by the Taliban in May 2024, has been the site of repeated local protests. Residents have long accused the company and authorities of “theft and looting,” claiming that mining activities have damaged homes, farmland, and local livelihoods.

The Samti project is valued at $310 million and is located near the Noor Aba gold mine, which is estimated to hold between 12 and 24 tonnes of gold.

The dispute underscores ongoing tensions in Taliban-controlled regions, where local communities often clash with foreign contractors over resource extraction and environmental impacts.