8am: If the Taliban group is supposed to create an identity for itself, it is nothing more than a radical nationalistic-religious group. Ethnic and religious background is a significant factor in determining the level of trust among the group’s members. The Badakhshani Taliban, who are predominantly of Tajik origin, do not share common ancestry with the Taliban leadership in Kandahar and Kabul and are, therefore, not considered trustworthy. The Taliban leadership worries that a shift in circumstances could spark internal disputes within their group. They fear that if the Tajik-origin Badakhshani Taliban, particularly those based in resource-rich areas of the same province, unite, they might present a significant challenge. The worry intensified when the Taliban leadership began relocating Pashtun families in Badakhshan and Takhar. Such movements have stirred unease among the local inhabitants, including the native Taliban, regarding possible ethnic tensions ahead and shifts in the area’s demographics. Click here to read more (external link).