Taliban-affiliated media outlets, which had until recently praised Juma Khan Fateh as a "loyal and committed commander," launched a smear campaign against him following his surrender, accusing him of oppression, land grabbing, extortion, and smuggling.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid announced on Saturday, August 22, 2026, that Fateh would face trial. A Taliban delegation was dispatched to Nasi district in Badakhshan, where residents were asked to submit written complaints against him. The delegation accused Fateh of seizing people's land and property and oppressing local residents.
Fateh had been part of the Taliban's military and administrative structure for nearly five years, serving as district governor of Nasi and later as deputy governor of Zabul. The conflict began when he resisted Taliban-deployed forces — not out of any ideological or political break with the group.
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