KABUL, 27 September, 2026 (Kamran Raja): The Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF) has claimed that its forces captured several Taliban checkpoints during clashes in Kamdesh district of Nuristan province on Saturday. In a statement, the AFF said fighting began in parts of Kamdesh in the morning and was continuing, while a local resident also reported hearing gunfire in the area. According to the group, Taliban forces launched an early-morning attack on its positions using drones, prompting AFF commandos to target several drones before launching a counter-attack. The Front claimed that its fighters captured several Taliban checkpoints during the counter-attack and that Taliban fighters withdrew from the Arandu area and parts of Kamdesh towards Nari district in neighbouring Kunar province. Meanwhile, HIJAZ Persian, a Taliban-linked media outlet, reported that what it described as a plot in Kamdesh had been foiled and claimed that dozens of people had been killed, wounded or detained during the clashes. The Taliban has not officially commented on the reported fighting, while the claims regarding casualties and territorial advances could not be independently verified.