Clashes between residents and a gold mining company in northern Afghanistan left four people dead and five others injured, Afghan officials said Wednesday.
Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qane said the violence erupted Tuesday in the Chah Ab district of Takhar province. He said three residents and one company employee were killed, and officials did not specify what triggered the clashes or who owns the company.
In a statement, Qane said a company security employee and a resident were arrested in connection with the violence. He said security forces quickly restored order, and the deputy governor of Takhar had also visited the district to assess the situation.
Qane also said the company’s operations have been suspended. Akbar Haqani, the provincial spokesman, said authorities visited the area where the clashes erupted and that further details would be released after officials conclude their investigation.
The report comes as Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban government has promoted mining investment. In 2023, the Taliban government said it had signed seven mining contracts totaling $6.5 billion in investment, described at the time as the biggest such round of deals since the Taliban seized power in 2021.
Afghanistan is rich in minerals including coal, copper, iron ore, zinc, gold and silver, according to the AP report.