Crime rates under Taliban, including kidnappings, abduction, and executions
UNGA, Report of the Secretary-General, The situation in Afghanistan and its implications for international peace and security, 7 December 2022
“UNAMA also documented at least 9 extrajudicial killings, at least 5 cases of torture and ill-treatment and at least 29 arbitrary arrests and detentions carried out by the de facto authorities against former government officials and Afghan National Defence and Security Forces members, in violation of the general amnesty announced in August 2021.”
Pajhwok Afghan News, 2 men arrested for killing youth in Kabul: Police, 26 November 2022
“KABUL (Pajhwok): Police have arrested two suspects in connection with the murder of a youth in the 12th security district of Kabul city.”
Pajhwok Afghan News, 3 alleged robbers held in Kabul’s Sarobi district, 25 November 2022
“KABUL (Pajhwok): Three alleged robbers were arrested in the Sarobi district of capital, according to police on Friday.”
UN News, Taliban’s draconian violations against women may amount to crimes against humanity, 25 November 2022
“Moreover, they are removing women and girls’ agency by punishing male relatives for the purported offences of women – instrumentalizing one gender against the other by encouraging men to control the behaviour, attire and movement of women and girls in their circles. “We are deeply concerned that such actions are intended to compel men and boys to punish women and girls who resist the Taliban’s erasure of them, further depriving them of their rights, and normalizing violence against them”, the statement underscored.”
Pajhwok Afghan News, Farah man gunned down, suspect detained, 24 November 2022
“FARAH (Pajhwok): Unidentified gunmen have shot dead an individual in the western Farah province on Thursday morning, police official.”
Pajhwok News, Drug production factory discovered in Faryab, 5 held, 24 November 2022
“MAIMANA (Pajhwok): Security forces have recovered and sized a drug production factory and arrested five suspected individuals in northwestern Faryab province. Police Spokesperson Hameedullah ButShekan told Pajhwok Afghan News security forces have recovered a drug production factory in theTakhel area of Lolash district. Five people were arrested, 54 bags, 50 kilograms of Yama substance, 67 bags of yellow Yama over two barrel of fuel, one Kalashnikov, solar penal and a tent was recovered during the raid. During Republic times the sale of Yama was banned but its smuggling was underway but after the takeover of the ‘Islamic Emirate’ its sale and smuggling was banned.”
Pajhwok Afghan News, Man gunned down along with 4 sons in Kabul, 23 November 2022
“KABUL (Pajhwok): Five members of a family have been gunned down in limits of the 9th police district of Kabul, a
police official said […]”
Pajhwok Afghan News, Narcotics producing factory destroyed, 11 held in Ghor, 15 November 2022
“FEROZKOH (Pajhwok): A narcotics producing factory has been destroyed in the Dawlatyar district of western Ghor
province, an official said on Tuesday.”
Pajhwok Afghan News, Zaranj: Trader rescued; 5 alleged kidnappers detained, 12 November 2022
“ZARANJ (Pajhwok): Security forces in Nimroz province have rescued a trader and arrested five alleged kidnappers, local officials said on Saturday.”
Pajhwok Afghan News, Intelligence agents seize weapons in Kabul, Sar-i-Pul, 12 November 2022
“KABUL (Pajhwok): The personnel of the General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) have seized 36 weapons in
northern Sar-i-Pul and Kabul provinces.”
Pajhwok Afghan News, Boy rescued; 2 kidnappers detained in Kapisa, 10 November 2022
“MAHMOOD RAQI (Pajhwok): A businessman’s son has been rescued and two kidnappers have been detained in
central Kapisa province, a police official said […]”
UN News, Crime and terrorism thriving again in Afghanistan amid economic ruin, warns Kőrösi, 10 November 2022 [Csaba Kőrösi: President of the United Nations General Assembly]
“Beyond the disastrous humanitarian and human rights situation, he said the country was now “awash with heroin and opium.” “Organized crime and terrorist organizations are thriving once again. Afghanistan is facing complex and interlinked challenges that the Taliban have shown they cannot – or would not – solve. […] Amid the economic meltdown, he pointed out the shocking fact that narcotics constitute the biggest sector in the country, with the UN
Office on Drugs and Crime, revealing a 32 per cent growth in illegal opium cultivation. “We know where these drugs are sent. And we know who profits from these drugs. The threat from drug trafficking is linked with the threat of terrorism, regional and global security.””
Pajhwok Afghan News, 86 fake Pakistani, Afghan passports seized in raid, 10 November 2022
“KABUL (Pajhwok): Security forces have detained two persons with 86 forged copies of passports […]”
The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), Regional Overview: South Asia and Afghanistan 22-28 October 2022, 03 November 2022
In Afghanistan, IS carried out several attacks last week, resulting in multiple civilian fatalities. On 23 October, three civilians were wounded when their bus hit an IS-planted bomb in Kabul city (Radio Killid, 23 October 2022). IS claimed that the attack targeted a Taliban vehicle, killing and wounding those inside it, while Taliban forces had initially claimed that a gas cylinder caused the explosion (Twitter @Natsecjeff, 23 October 2022). In Herat city, five medical personnel of the Ministry of Defense were reportedly killed by IS in an armed attack on their bus. In Panjshir province, Taliban forces continued to target civilians last week. The Taliban reportedly tortured two detained civilians with alleged links to the NRF (National Resistance Front ) to death, while the Taliban displaced residents of a village in Bazarak district to turn their houses into a Taliban base. UN Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett expressed concern over the persecution of civilians in Panjshir, with the Taliban describing the UN statements as “biased, one-sided and unprofessional” (Pajhwok Afghan News, 28 October 2022). ACLED records over 60 events in Panjshir thus far in 2022 where civilians have been arrested or attacked by the Taliban, either on suspicion of links to the NRF or without a reason reported. Violence in Panjshir is both common and highly volatile; it is considered an area of ‘extreme risk’ by ACLED’s Volatility and Risk Predictability Index.
AP News, Report: Taliban killed captives in restive Afghan province, 18 October 2022
“The Taliban captured, bound and shot to death 27 men in Afghanistan’s Panjshir Valley last month during an offensive against resistance fighters in the area, according to a report published Tuesday, refuting the group’s earlier claims that the men were killed in battle. One video of the killings verified by the report shows five men, blindfolded with their hands tied behind their backs. Then, Taliban fighters spray them with gunfire for 20 seconds and cry out in celebration. The investigation by Afghan Witness, an open-source project run by the U.K.-based non-profit Center for Information Resilience, is a rare verification of allegations that the Taliban have used brutal methods against opposition forces and their supporters, its researchers said. Since taking power in August 2021, the Taliban have imposed a tighter and harsher rule, even as they press for international recognition of their government. […] Afghan Witness said it analyzed dozens of visual sources from social media — mostly videos and photographs — to conclusively link one group of Taliban fighters to the killings of 10 men in the Dara District of Panjshir, including the five seen being mowed down in the video. […] It said it also confirmed 17 other extrajudicial killings from further images on social media, all showing dead men with their hands tied behind their backs. Videos and photos of Taliban fighters with the bodies aided geolocation and chrono-location, also providing close-ups of the fighters at the scene. These were cross-referenced with other videos suspected to feature the group. “Using open-source techniques we have established the facts around the summary and systematic execution of a group of men in the Panjshir Valley in mid-September,” Osborn said. “At the time of their execution, the detained were bound, posing no threat to their Taliban captors.” Enayatullah Khawarazmi, the Taliban-appointed spokesman for the defense minister, said a delegation is investigating the videos released on social media. He said he was unable to give further details as the investigation is ongoing.”
The Khaama Press News Agency, UN special rapporteur voices concern over ‘summary executions’ in Afghanistan, 15 September 2022
“Following reports and claims of prisoner killings and widespread human rights violations in Panjshir northern
province of Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, voiced
concern and stated that he is “monitoring” the situation.”
Amnesty International, Afghanistan: Taliban torture and execute Hazaras in targeted attack – new investigation, 15 September 2022
“Six people killed during a night raid on a family home in Ghor province, including a 12-year-old girl.
Ongoing Taliban killings indicate a pattern of attacks on ethnic minorities and members of the former security forces.
Taliban fighters killed six Hazara people in a deliberate attack on the ethnic minority group in Afghanistan’s Ghor
province, Amnesty International said today following a new investigation.
On 26 June 2022, the Taliban detained and unlawfully executed four men during a night raid operation in search of a former security official. The body of at least one of those executed showed signs of torture. A woman and a 12- year-old girl were also killed during the raid.
The attack is part of a wider pattern of unlawful targeted killings of people whom the Taliban perceives as adversaries, in this case being both members of the Hazara community and those who were associated with the former Afghan government.[…]
Amnesty International conducted eight remote interviews, including with witnesses to the June 2022 attack, analyzed 38 photos and three videos that were taken in the aftermath of the attack, consulted a forensic pathologist to review the images of the bodies, and reviewed satellite imagery of the area to confirm the location of one of the killings. Several of the photos analyzed were published online by Taliban media, including the Ghor Province Governor Media Office, which deleted the post soon after publication.
On the night of 26 June 2022, Taliban forces raided the home of Mohamad Muradi, a Hazara man and security official under the former government who had also previously led a People’s Uprising Program force – a local militia – against the Taliban in 2020 and 2021.
Muradi had recently returned to his home in Chahar Asyab, in the Lal wa Sarjangal district in Ghor province, after failing in an attempt to flee to Iran, and then hiding in other cities around the country. Like many who had been
involved in Taliban opposition, Muradi had not taken up the offer of a personalized ‘amnesty letter’ – often issued to former security and government officials, offering permission to return home in exchange for a promise to lay down arms – due to the fear of reprisal attacks by the Taliban.
Witnesses told Amnesty International that, on the night of the attack, Taliban forces fired rifles and rocket-
propelled grenades at Muradi’s home, killing Taj Gul Muradi, his 22-year-old daughter, who had studied medicine and had been providing health care in the community. The attack wounded Muradi and two of Muradi’s other children, a son and his 12-year-old daughter. The girl suffered severe stomach injuries and died the next day.
Muradi’s left leg was injured, and he surrendered to Taliban forces through the intervention of local elders. However, the Taliban then dragged him outside of the house and shot him dead. An analysis of photos of Muradi’s body shows damage to the front of his shirt, indicating a likely chest wound, and an exit wound in his forehead. […] Three other men who had been staying at Muradi’s home were detained and then extrajudicially executed. […]
Photos of Mohammadi’s body indicate that he was executed with at least one gunshot to head, while kneeling and with his hands bound behind him. Locals found his body approximately 50 meters from Muradi’s home, left between some rocks in a tree-covered area.
Witnesses told Amnesty International that the other two victims – named Asif Rezayee and Arif Sangaree – were put in a vehicle and driven away to be killed in a separate location. The bodies of the two men were later
discovered in an uninhabited part of Takeghal, more than 30 minutes’ drive from where they were initially detained.
Asif Rezayee had been living in Kabul but had returned to his home village a few days prior to visit family members. Rezayee was executed by gunfire while his hands were cuffed behind his back. Photos and a video of his body show four distinct gunshot wounds, to the head, chest, right thigh, and left hand. Based upon the nature of the wounds, apparent bullet trajectory, and gun powder stains, the wounds to the leg and hand were done at close range prior to execution. Such intentional infliction of pain on a bound detainee constitutes torture, a crime under international law.
Photos indicate that Arif Sangaree was also executed while bound and detained, with at least one close range shot to the head. One of the photos posted by the Taliban to Facebook, claiming credit for the successful operation, shows Sangaree with a significant facial wound surrounded by fresh bright red arterial blood, indicating the Taliban
took the photo immediately after his death. In contrast, photos provided by people who discovered the body show Sangaree with the identical wound, but the blood dark and dried, meaning time had passed.
The Taliban news sources that posted the image of Arif Sangeree’s body described the night raid as a “targeted operation” that culminated in a fight between “rebels” and “Mujahideen”, or the Taliban. The account claimed seven rebels had been killed, detained and wounded, and that one Taliban member was killed, with two others wounded.
To justify the deaths, the statement went on to say that the raid had occurred after fighters associated with Mawlavi Mahadi, the Hazara leader of a Taliban defector group, had attacked the Taliban in Balkhab district of Sar- e-Pul province, and then fled and established themselves in the village of Chahar Asyab. This Taliban statement is incorrect. While this fighting has been documented by the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation in Afghanistan in his 6 September 2022 report, which includes cases of Taliban executions of fighters hors de combat, Muradi and
his family members were not members of Mahadi’s group or taking part in this round of attacks. Rather, Amnesty International believes the Taliban justification is a pretext for targeting ethnic minorities and soldiers associated with the former government.”
Afghan Voice Agency, Afghanistan over the past year, 29 August 2022
“While there are a number of concerning developments, the fact that there has been a significant reduction in violence and civilian casualties following the end of large-scale conflict is beyond debate. This is positive and should be welcomed.”
Khaama Press, Sororicide: Man Kills His Married Sister and another Man for Extramarital Sexual Intercourse in Northern Afghanistan, 23 August 2022
“Using a Kalashnikov rifle, a man shot and killed his married sister and another married polygamous man for engaging in extramarital sexual intercourse in the absence of her husband, according to local Taliban officials in the northern province of Faryab. A man and a woman were allegedly shot in the Kohistan district of Faryab province for engaging in an affair, according to local sources. According to Mohammad Ismail Furqani, Taliban’s Counter- Crimes director of the Faryab Chief of Police, the “honor killing” event occurred on Monday night, 22nd of August in the Kohistan district of Faryab province as the killer caught his sister and the man “red-handed”, having sex. […] More suicides, homicides, target killings, and honor killings have occurred recently as a result of an increase in domestic violence, personal enmity, family blood feuds, and illicit relationships.”
Khaama Press, Child, 11, Accidentally Kills another Child with Kalashnikov Rifle While Playing in Northern Afghanistan, 18 August 2022
“According to local sources, an 11-year-old boy accidentally shot and killed his 10-year-old playmate in Faryab province of northern Afghanistan as they were playing with a Kalashnikov rifle. The tragedy, took place on Tuesday, the 16th of August, in the Hashtomin village of Kohistan district in the northern Afghan province of Faryab. Local sources report that Mohammad Nader, 10, was killed by Abdul Rahman, 11, while he and two other kids were playing with a gun at home. […] Similar incidents that involved a child inadvertently killing another while playing with guns have occurred in the past and resulted in casualties in several provinces across the country. The number of children killed in Afghanistan also rises as a result of children falling victim when playing with guns, unexploded mortar shells, ordnance, and other remnants of war. In the course of seven months, landmines and explosive remnants of war have injured or killed 301 children in Afghanistan, according to a UNICEF report. The actual number is thought to be significantly larger.”
Khaama Press, Hanging Body of 14-Year-Old Boy Found Swinging from Tree in Central Afghanistan, 17 August 2022 “Local Taliban government officials in the central Afghan province of Ghor say that they have discovered a young boy’s body hanging from a tree in Firozkoh city, the provincial capital of Ghor. The body of this youngster was reportedly discovered yesterday evening in the Wardak Haa region to the east of Firuzkoh city, the center of Ghor province. A 14-year-old boy’s body was reportedly discovered hanging from a tree, according to the source. […] There is still no explanation for why or how this teen was hanged, as the newsletter of the Taliban police in Ghor
province has not provided details. Despite the Taliban’s claims of security, that the group has provided and maintained security in Afghanistan, it should be underlined that mysterious murders and other crimes persist and have recently become more frequent in several provinces across Afghanistan.”
UN News, ‘immensely bleak’ future for Afghanistan unless massive human rights reversal, experts warn, 12 august 2022
“Moreover, the humanitarian and economic crisis in Afghanistan, which has already caused immeasurable harm to millions, shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, it is predicted to worsen, they added, partly due to the interruption of international assistance and the freezing of Afghan assets abroad.
[…]
The experts said the Taliban have committed a “plethora” of human rights violations, with the virtual erasure of
women and girls from society, as well as their systematic oppression, being particularly egregious.
“Nowhere else in the world has there been as wide-spread, systematic and all-encompassing an attack on the rights of women and girls – every aspect of their lives is being restricted under the guise of morality and through the instrumentalization of religion. Discrimination and violence cannot be justified on any ground”.
[…]
“Indeed, the daily reports of violence – including extra-judicial killings, disappearances, arbitrary detention, torture, heightened risks of exploitation faced by women and girls including for the purposes of child and forced marriage, and a breakdown in the rule of law – gives us no confidence that the Taliban has any intention of
making good on its pledge to respect human rights."
Citizens now have no means for redress as the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission has been abolished, along with other independent oversight mechanism and institutions.
The administration of justice has also been compromised. The applicable law is unclear, and judges and other officials have been replaced, which has especially affected women.
The experts pointed to other violations, such as the curtailing of press freedom, and the rise in attacks on religious and ethnic minorities, some of which were claimed by the ISIL-KP terrorist group.”
The Khaama Press News Agency, Veterinary Doctor Killed in Central Afghanistan by Unknown Gunmen, 3 August 2022
“A young veterinary doctor was brutally murdered on Tuesday by four unidentified individuals in Ghor province, in
central Afghanistan, said local Taliban officials.”
“Despite the Taliban’s assurances that they provide security, mysterious murders and other crimes are still occurring and have recently become more frequent in several provinces.”
The Khaama Press News Agency, Religious Scholar Gunned Down in Northeastern Afghanistan, 30 July 2022
“Local sources in the Afghan northeastern province of Kunar say that unidentified gunmen killed a religious scholar in Kunar province. According to the sources, the victim is identified as an Imam (prayer leader) of a mosque in Kunar province, who went by the name Sheikh Mohammad Israel Sahibzada. The religious scholar is reportedly killed by unknown armed men on Friday evening, 29th of July, as he was returning home from prayer in the Sahibzada village in Kunar province. While the Taliban officials have not yet responded to the accident, the
perpetrators are alleged to have fled the crime scene. Afghanistan’s capital and provinces have experienced a rise in insecurity recently. A leading Salafi scholar and well-known religious figure, Sardar Wali Saqib, was murdered at his place of residence two weeks ago in Kabul.”
The Khaama Press News Agency, Gunmen Shoot a Greengrocer Dead in Northeastern Afghanistan, 28 July 2022 “Intractable, mysterious killings and other crimes persist in various areas despite the Taliban’s claims of security, that the group has been able to preserve the security of the nation and its people.”
UN News, Afghanistan: Report highlights multiple human rights violations and abuses under Taliban, 20 July 2022
“The de facto authorities have limited dissent by cracking down on protests and curbing media freedoms according
to the report. The report condemns arbitrary arrests of journalists, protestors, and civil society activists.” “Women and girls have seen their rights to access education, the workplace and participate in public life,
restricted. Not allowing girls to go to secondary school means that a generation of girls will not complete their full
12 years of basic education, UNAMA highlighted.”
“While the report acknowledges steps taken by Taliban authorities to reduce violence, UNAMA still recorded 2,106 civilian casualties, with 700 killed, and 1,406 wounded. Those causalities are mainly attributed to targeted attacks by the terrorist group which identifies itself as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant – Khorasan Province, against ethnic and religious minority communities.”
“According to the report, those worst affected, were those linked to the former government and its security forces, with 160 extrajudicial killings confirmed, as well as 178 arbitrary arrests and detentions, and 56 instances of torture. The human rights situation has been exacerbated by a nationwide economic, financial and humanitarian crisis of unprecedented scale. At least 59 per cent of the population is now in need of humanitarian assistance – an increase of six million people compared with the beginning of 2021.”
Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN), Arbitrary Power and a Loss of Fundamental Freedom, 20 July 2022
“UNAMA has published its first major report on human rights in Afghanistan since the Taleban came to power on 15 August 2021. It covers a multitude of issues, including detentions, torture and extrajudicial killings, the rights of women and girls and civilian casualties. One recurring theme is the arbitrary way the new administration often works and the unpredictability of its laws, punishments and procedures […]”
Human Rights Watch, UN Reports on Taliban Repression, Abuse in Afghanistan, 20 July 2022
“A new report by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) makes for very grim reading, confirming many of the concerns Afghan human rights advocates have raised since last August, when the Taliban took control of Afghanistan. UNAMA catalogues serious human rights abuses that Taliban forces have committed, including summary executions and enforced disappearances of former members of the Afghan National Security Forces, which have continued months after the Taliban takeover. It chronicles the series of Taliban decrees on the rights of women and girls that have given rise to “severe restrictions on their human rights, resulting in their exclusion from most aspects of everyday and public life.” And UNAMA describes how “arbitrary arrests and detention of journalists, human rights defenders, [and] protesters have had a chilling effect on freedom of the media and civic activism.” The response from the Taliban authorities was predictable. They ignored the many cases of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances UNAMA documented, and they denied the Ministry of
Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice had “ever beaten anyone, harmed or forced anyone to do anything … or said anything to women about dress code.” Much of their response was limited to the situation of prisoners, including the peculiar and false assertion that inmates “are satisfied” with prison food. As UNAMA describes, prisoners have been routinely denied food and water as punishment. Taliban officials, who for years denounced torture by the former government and US forces, did not respond to allegations that they have also tortured prisoners, including by using electric shock. UNAMA also notes that while civilian casualties have declined as the armed conflict has largely ended (with at least 118,443 civilians dead and wounded since UNAMA started counting in December 2008), attacks by Islamic State-linked armed groups continue to take a terrible toll, killing more than 700 civilians and wounding more than 1400 since August. Eleven months after Afghanistan’s abrupt transition to Taliban rule, the UNAMA report demonstrates the crucial importance of continued monitoring and documentation of the steady erosion of rights in Afghanistan, and acts as an important reminder of the heavy price Afghans are paying.”
ATN News, Two killed, 20 wounded in Herat shootings, 4 July 2022
Gandhara, Gandhara Briefing: Pakistani Visas, Taliban Taxes, Afghan Bodybuilders, 17 June 2022
“Rising Crime In Kabul Radio Azadi reports on rising crime in Kabul, where some residents say they remain at home after dark to avoid thieves. The claims have punctured the Taliban’s narrative that it has established security in Afghanistan since seizing power in August. "The criminals can get you anywhere after sunset. They will rob you of
money and your mobile phone. They will also beat you," said Abdul Majid, a laborer in Kabul's Ahmad Shah Baba
neighborhood, who was robbed last week.”
Amnesty International (Afghanistan), Afghanistan: Taliban must immediately stop unlawful killings and arbitrary arrests in Panjshir, 16 June 2022
"Zaman Sultani, Amnesty International’s South Asia Researcher, said: “Constantly, reports are coming of arbitrary arrests and unlawful killings of civilians by the Taliban in Panjshir. Events in the last couple of weeks leave little room for doubt that there is a growing pattern of extrajudicial executions and arbitrary arrests committed by the Taliban… Amnesty International is gravely concerned about reports that those arbitrarily arrested are also facing physical torture and beatings that, in some cases, even resulted in death, as has been reported in the case of Abdul Munir Amini on 4 June”
“On 12 June 2022, the Taliban shot dead Murzataza, a resident of Khesa-Awal district of Panjshir who reportedly was also suffering from mental illness. On 4 June 2022, the spokesperson for the Taliban Governor of Panjshir Province in a video statement to the media said that fewer than 40 people were arrested. In Panjshir the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan, an armed group fighting against the Taliban, has strong presence.One of those arrested, Abdul Munir Amini, was reportedly tortured to death.Media reports suggest that a larger number of civilians than admitted by the Taliban have been arbitrarily arrested from various different districts of Panjshir in the past few weeks."
UNOCHR, Oral update on Afghanistan Statement by Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, 15 June 2022
“During my visit, I recognised the significance of the general amnesty granted to the former officials of the former Government and members of the security forces, as an important step towards reconciliation after so many decades of war. I am however concerned that the Human Rights Service of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) continues to receive credible reports of arbitrary arrests and detention, ill-treatment and extra-judicial killings – particularly of persons associated with the former government and its institutions. […] UNAMA also continues to record the impact of attacks on civilians. In April alone, a spate of improvised explosive devices attacks resulted in civilians being killed and injured at schools, places of worship, markets and while on public transportation. Ethnic and religious minorities have also been directly attacked. I remind the de facto authorities of their responsibility to protect all Afghans subject to their control. I also remain concerned about the information received of alleged human rights violations and abuses against civilians in the northern provinces, including Panjshir, which have recently seen clashes between the de facto security forces and fighters affiliated with the National Resistance Front. There are serious allegations, which require verification, that civilians have been exposed to violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law, including arbitrary arrests, extrajudicial killings, and torture. I call upon both parties to this conflict to observe restraint and to fully respect international human rights law and applicable international humanitarian law […] Civil society actors, including women’s rights activists and human rights defenders have been subjected to killings, enforced disappearances, incommunicado detention, attacks, harassment, threats and arrests. While some have been released, others remain deprived of their liberty, separated from their loved ones and deprived of their right to speak out”
AVA, Gunmen shoot airport workers in Balkh, 13 June 2022
“Gunmen opened fire on a vehicle carrying airport workers in Afghanistan’s northern Balkh province on Sunday, killing two of them and wounding six more, police said. Afghan Voice Agency(AVA)_Monitoring, The attack happened as the victims were travelling from Mazar-i-Sharif International Airport to the city center. Asif Waziri, a spokesman for Balkh police, said that the attack happened around 3:00p.m. in PD 10 of the provincial capital Mazar-i-Sharif. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.”
HRW, Afghanistan: Taliban Torture Civilians in Panjshir, 10 June 2022
“Taliban security forces in northern Afghanistan’s Panjshir province have unlawfully detained and tortured residents accused of association with an opposition armed group, Human Rights Watch said today. Since mid-May 2022, fighting has escalated in the province as National Resistance Front (NRF) forces have attacked Taliban units and checkpoints. The Taliban have responded by deploying to the province thousands of fighters, who have carried out search operations targeting communities they allege are supporting the NRF. During search operations in other provinces, Taliban forces have committed summary executions and enforced disappearances of captured fighters and other detainees, which are war crimes. “Taliban forces in Panjshir province have quickly resorted to beating
civilians in their response to fighting against the opposition National Resistance Front,” said Patricia Gossman, associate Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “The Taliban’s longstanding failure to punish those responsible for serious abuses in their ranks puts more civilians at risk.” A human rights advocate who has interviewed several former detainees and a source with direct information about Taliban detentions spoke to Human Rights Watch about the Panjshir situation. Former detainees in early June reported that Taliban security forces detained about
80 residents in Panjshir’s Khenj district and beat them to compel them to provide information about the NRF. After several days, the Taliban released 70, but have continued to hold 10 people whose relatives they accuse of being members of the group, a form of collective punishment. Former detainees said the district jail held nearly 100 others who have alleged links to the NRF. None had access to their families or lawyers. Others have been held in
informal detention facilities.”
JURIST, Afghanistan dispatch: ‘An oppressive regime will eventually be met with defiance.’, 9 June 2022
“Law students and lawyers in Afghanistan are filing reports with JURIST on the situation there after the Taliban takeover. Here, a law student in Kabul reports on conflict between Taliban fighter and resistance forces in the Panjshir valley area of the country. For privacy and security reasons, we are withholding our correspondent’s
name. The text has only been lightly edited to respect the author’s voice. The Afghan resistance war on the Taliban is very likely to escalate, according to a recent report by UN experts. The report notes that the main military threats against Taliban are the National Resistance Force-NRF (an anti-Taliban movement made of The Northern Alliance that fought against the Soviets, plus former government military personnel), and ISIS-K. The Taliban have proved to be fragmented, and internal conflicts are evident all the way to the bottom of their ranks. In recent months, the Taliban have preferred members of their own ethnic group in provinces which are made up of predominantly Persian speakers, have confiscated lands from Hazara people and awarded them to Pashtuns, have conducted targeted killings of former military personnel, and – the jewel on top – have sexually harassed women whose husbands or other family members have fought against them in the past. An oppressive regime will eventually be met with defiance. Given the history of Afghanistan, the day of a full uprising is not far off; and the provocative and oppressing behaviour of the Taliban against other ethnic groups – such as backing their own tribal members and kin to monopolize trade, government jobs and any service a government is expected to provide – is making the idea of an uprising and a full escalated war against them more plausible and expected. The UN report speculates that after weather change in the country the fighting against Taliban could intensify. The Washington Post meanwhile reports that Taliban are engaged in fighting in Panjshir province, noting that the “Taliban have been denying any conflict, yet thousands of their fighters are stationed in the valley”. The fighting in Panjshir has been intense and more than a hundred Taliban have been killed and many more injured in recent weeks. The NRF has been fairly successful in their guerrilla attacks and have taken out Taliban fighters and important figures in the valley. The major part of the casualties inflicted on the Taliban come from their own counter offenses to finish of the resistance once and for all, but having the higher ground gives the NRF an incredible advantage in keeping them at a distance and carrying out strikes which have delivered fatal blows to Taliban fighters. In response, the Taliban have been detaining hundereds of civilians in Panjshir, have carried out tens of field excutions and have been torturing freinds and families of the NRF members for information, some of whom have been reported dead after intense torture. In one incident a shepherd was killed by torture and his family were threatend to keep his death quiet or meet the same fate as him. Crimes against humanity, genocide and death by torture are happening in Panjsher, Andarab and Takhar provinces as I write this report. An open letter to the UN has been signed by 60 experts, professors and PhD holders around the world to call for an immediate stop to human rights violation
against Tajiks in the aforementioned provinces.”
Gandhara, Taliban Accused of Forced Evictions As Fighting Intensifies In Northern Afghanistan, 7 June 2022
"In the latest incident, the family of a 40-year-old farmer in Panjshir’s Bazarak district said he was arrested and tortured to death by the Taliban. The militant group admitted that Munir Ahmad had died in its custody on June 2. "This is not the first time that local people have been arrested, tortured, imprisoned, and even killed,” a relative who did not want to be named told Radio Azadi.
Meanwhile, locals told Radio Azadi that the Taliban detained more than 100 civilians in the Paryan district of Panjshir in the past week. Their whereabouts are unknown. Earlier, the Taliban said it had detained an unspecified number of people accused of having links with the NRF. Locals have also alleged that Taliban fighters have recently beheaded several NRF fighters who were captured, a claim the Taliban has rejected. The ongoing fighting has forced thousands of people to flee their homes in Panjshir."
Tolo News, 2,000 Detained for Various Crimes in Past Month in Kabul, 5 June 2022
"The Ministry of Interior (MoI) said that more than 2,000 people were arrested on charges of various crimes in the last month in Kabul. Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, Abdul Nafay Takor said that at least 859 crimes happened within this period and that dozens of security incidents were thwarted. Takor said that serious steps are being taken to counter the drug challenges in the country and that 390 people were arrested on charges of drug dealing."
Gandhara, Gandhara Briefing: Taliban Rift, Afghan Musicians, People Smuggling, 3 June 2022
"Radio Azadi reports on the one sector of Afghanistan's collapsing economy that is thriving: the smuggling of people trying to escape the country. The Taliban has banned the transit of undocumented migrants across the border to Pakistan and Iran. But smugglers have overcome the ban by bribing corrupt Taliban border guards."We fit about 20 people in each vehicle, and the Taliban charges 1,000 afghanis (about $11) per car," said Mahmud. He earns $800 a month smuggling up to 150 people weekly from Zaranj in Nimroz into Iran."
INSO, Crime data dashboard [No date]
[Click on hyperlink to see infographic on monthly incidents, arrests, note that the source is undated]
ACLED, Regional Overview: South Asia and Afghanistan 21-27 May 2022, 1 June 2022
"In Afghanistan, IS, unidentified groups, and the Taliban targeted civilians last week. On 25 May, at least nine civilians were killed and dozens injured in Mazar-e-Sharif city in Balkh province when remote bombs detonated in three minibuses carrying people from the Hazara community. IS claimed responsibility for the attack (Al Jazeera, 25 May 2022). This attack was the third IS attack in Mazar-e-Sharif city in the past month, with the previous attacks targeting Shiite Muslims. On the same day, another explosion occurred inside a mosque in Kabul city, killing at least five people. Similar to other deadly mosque attacks in Kabul on 29 April and 13 May, the perpetrators of the attack remain unknown. Taliban forces also carried out attacks targeting civilians across the country. Among these attacks, the Taliban opened fire at a wedding ceremony in Surkh Rud district of Nangarhar province for unclear reasons, injuring the bride and many others. The Taliban also targeted civilians for playing music in Kabul city.
Meanwhile, anti-Taliban groups carried out attacks against the Taliban across the country last week. The National Resistance Front (NRF) continued offensives in Panjshir province, as well as Parwan and Kapisa, claiming to have killed at least 40 Taliban members in Panjshir. Meanwhile, the Taliban reportedly conducted operations against two NRF bases in the province. Taliban forces also continued to detain and torture locals in Panjshir, including elders and children (Hasht-e Subh, 26 May 2022). These trends contribute to the 256% increase in violence in the province last month relative to the past year, as flagged by ACLED’s Subnational Threat Tracker. The Subnational Tracker first warned of this increased violence to come in Panjshir in the past month. Elsewhere, in Ghazni
province, the Afghanistan Liberation Movement claimed to have killed the Taliban’s chief of intelligence in a mine explosion (Shafaqna, 27 May 2022). In Kabul province, the National Liberation Front of Afghanistan claimed to have conducted an attack on the Taliban police chief’s house in Qarabagh district, reportedly killing seven Taliban members (Subhe Kabul, 25 May 2022).
OHCHR, Statement by Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, concluding his visit to Kabul and Balkh and Kandahar provinces carried out from 15 to 26 May 2022 (reduction in armed fighting and civilian casualties since August 2021; deterioration of the human rights situation; humanitarian and economic crisis), 26 May 2022
“The expert expresses concern about information, received directly, of human rights violations and abuses against civilians in Panjshir, Baghlan, Badakhshan, and Takhar Provinces, which have recently seen clashes between the de facto security forces and fighters affiliated with the National Resistance Front. There are serious allegations, which require verification, that civilians have been exposed to violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law, including arbitrary arrests, extrajudicial killings, torture, and forced displacement. The Special Rapporteur urges the parties to this conflict to observe restraint and to fully respect international human rights law and applicable international humanitarian law. He calls on the authorities to permit human rights monitors access to these areas. The Special Rapporteur highlights the high number of reports since August 2021 of intimidation, harassment, attacks, arrests, and in some cases killing or disappearance of journalists, prosecutors, and judges for exercising their duties, as well as of civil society for exercising their rights to peaceful assembly and association. “I have received credible information about physical ill-treatment and mental harm inflicted on a range of actors, including human rights defenders, that previously made up a core part of the Afghan vibrant civil society”, observed the Special Rapporteur.”
UNOCHR, Facing critical human rights challenges, Afghanistan at a crossroads, says UN expert in Kabul, 26 May 2022
“The newly appointed Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett […] noted that armed hostilities in many parts of the country had ceased and there was a consequent reduction in conflict-related casualties since the Taliban takeover. He said the recently established commission for the return of leading Afghan personalities may provide an opportunity for dialogue and potentially strengthen governance.
While the granting of the general amnesty to officials of the former Government and members of the security forces could be a first step toward reconciliation, he remains alarmed about reports of ongoing extrajudicial and revenge killings of former members of the security forces and officials and door-to-door searches. […] Bennett called for investigations into a series of attacks on places of worship and schools in Kabul, Kunduz, and Balkh provinces, instances of which have been claimed by the ISIS-K group. He said that such attacks specifically targeting members of the Hazara, Shia, and Sufi communities are becoming increasingly systematic in nature and reflect elements of an organizational policy, thus bearing hallmarks of crimes against humanity. He also expressed concern about allegations, which require verification, that civilians have been exposed to violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law, including arbitrary arrests, extrajudicial killings, torture, and forced displacement in Panjshir and other northern provinces, which have recently seen clashes between the de facto security forces and fighters affiliated with the National Resistance Front.”
Khaama, Taliban Rescued An Eight-Year-Old Child From Kidnappers in Paktika, 7 May 2022
"Taliban security authorities in Paktika province say they have rescued a minor girl from kidnappers in Sharana, the central district of province. The girl was kidnapped in Mutakhan district, according to the Bakhtar news agency, citing the security chief of the Taliban police headquarters in Paktika. According to him, the kidnappers clothed the girl in boys clothes and cut her hair short. The girl was rescued in Sharana, the provincial capital, according to a spokesman for the Taliban’s Paktika police chief, but no arrests were made. The incidence of kidnappings has recently surged in the country’s southeastern areas. The majority of kidnappings in these provinces are perpetrated for extortion and ransom.”
Afghan Voice Agency (AVA), Some kidnappers killed in raid to rescue Rauf: Mujahid, 24 April 2022
“Afghan Voice Agency (AVA)_Two years ago, Rauf, 11, was kidnapped while he was on his way to school in -e- Sharif, the capital city of northern province. The child was rescued on Saturday and handed over to his family by Deputy Prime Minister Maulvi Abdul Salam.”
US DOS, 2021 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Afghanistan, 12 April 2022
“Abductions: The UN secretary-general’s 2020 Children and Armed Conflict Report, released in June, cited 54 verified incidents of the Taliban abducting children. Of those, 42 children were released, four were killed, and the whereabouts of eight children remained unknown. […] The Taliban announced anticorruption policies following their takeover, including creating commissions in Kabul and at the provincial level to identify corrupt or criminal officials and taking a hardline stance against bribery. The Taliban launched a commission through the “Ministry of Defense” to identify members who were flouting the movement’s directives. A ministry spokesman stated that 2,840 Taliban members were dismissed on charges of corruption and drug use. Reporting from multiple local businessmen revealed that cross-border trading had become much easier under Taliban stewardship with elimination of the “gifts” usually required for Customs officials. On December 8, Taliban officials in Herat announced that 100 Taliban security personnel were arrested and dismissed on charges of misconduct and illegal activity. They also reported a revenue of 100 million afghanis ($1.3 million) collected over three months due to reduced corruption. Local Taliban leaders in Balkh began investigations into allegations of corruption involving disability benefits, and leaders in Nangarhar established special units to prevent the illegal occupation of land and deforestation.”
OHCHR, Interactive dialogue on the High Commissioner's report on Afghanistan, 7 March 2022
“The first two months of this year have seen a number of disturbing cases of enforced disappearances and incommunicado detention of civil society activists and protestors.”
TOLO News, Young Man Killed by Unknown Attackers in Western Kabul, 26 February 2022
“Azizullah Wafa, 30, was shot and killed by unidentified gunmen in the Barchi area in western Kabul city on Friday afternoon, relatives said.The relative of Wafa called for the perpetrators to be held accountable. [...]
Kabul's security department said it would investigate the murder.
“I contacted the PD 13 about four hours ago. The PD was not aware of the murder… I don’t have fresh information about it and when I get the information I will share it with the media,” said Khalid Zadran, a spokesman for the Kabul department of security.
Wafa had a master’s degree in Persian Literature from Kabul university.
Wafa was on his way home from a religious ceremony on Friday afternoon when he came under the attack by the gunmen, according to relatives.
“Azizullah has no personal hostility with anyone. He was an educated youth and was a social and cultural person,” said a relative.
This comes as the residents of the capital city Kabul have repeatedly voiced concerns over a surge in criminal activity, saying that despite consecutive promises by the security officials, the level of criminal activities remains high.
Military veterans believe that the intelligence department of the Islamic Emirate should take professional steps to prevent such criminal acts.
“The surge in mysterious killings and armed robbing that has recently affected the residents of Kabul is not justifiable. The intelligence forces of the Islamic Emirate should act with professionalism to prevent such crimes,” said Sadiq Shinwari, a military veteran.”
Khaama Press, This is what Taliban confiscated during door-to-door sweep, 28 February 2022
“The chief spokesperson of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan Zabiullah Mujahid said that their massive house-to- house search that was also carried out by women police aimed at securing the Afghan capital Kabul and its neighboring provinces.
Briefing journalists in Kabul on Sunday, February 27, 2022, Zabiullah Mujahid said that four people-a male doctor, a man, and two teenage girls- who were kidnapped got released during the operations.
Mujahid further added that nine kidnappers, six ISIS-K affiliates, and 53 professional and high-level thieves were arrested.
“133 Kalashnikov, nine Krinkov, 5 Kalakov, 13 M16, 3 M4, 181 pistols, 44 rocket launchers, 2 Carbine, 85 RPGs, 7
Kalashnikov machine gun, 2 Draznov, 107 82 artillery, 20 grenades, 36 mines, 13 tons of gun powder, 89 grenades, 21 11-shot rifles, 2 drone cameras, 4 ranger vehicles, 44 other government-related vehicles, 13 government related armored vehicles, 3 Land Cruisers, one Hilux, 64 small radio, 12 big radios, 1 domineers, 57 goggles, 52 jammers, 60386 bullets,” Mujahid said.
Zabiullah Mujahid expressed hope that this will be their last sweep that will lead to full security both in the capital and neighboring provinces. It is worth mentioning that, people have mixed reactions to the clean-up operations by the Taliban. Some are optimistic as it leads to security while others complain about their personal privacy being violated.”
Pajhwok Afghan News, Kidnapped doctor recovered in Kabul, 27 February 2022
“KABUL (Pajhwok): A medical doctor kidnapped four days ago has been recovered from a ruined house in capital Kabul, an official said on Sunday. Mawlavi Bashir Ahmad Mujahid, deputy head of 17th Police District, said Dr. Mir HamzaMeerzad was recovered from a ruined house on Saturday during a clearing operation launched in Kabul.
Dr. Hamza was kidnapped from the KhawajaBughra area four days ago. After the launch of the clearing operation in Kabul, the kidnappers felt they were surrounded and shifted Dr. Hamza to a ruined house in 11th Police District.”
TOLO News, Islamic Emirate's Mujahid Comments on House-to-House Searches, 27 February 2022
“The Islamic Emirate called the recent house-to-house searches "constructive," saying that many weapons and ammunition were captured. Also several Daesh fighters, robbers and kidnappers were captured in the so-called clearing operation.
Talking at a press conference in Kabul on Sunday, Islamic Emirate spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said recent house clearings were intended to catch criminals, some of whom were released from prison during the change of government.
According to Mujahid, women were among the Islamic Emirate forces searching homes, and only "suspected areas" were searched.
“Nine kidnappers, six affiliated with Daesh, and 53 robbers were detained,” Mujahid said.
Some residents of Kabul said that their houses were raided by Islamic Emirate forces. “They said that the family should remain inside the house—they looked everywhere except one room where women were,” said Ali Yasar, a resident of Kabul.
“Today around 10:30am, they (Islamic Emirate Forces) came. There was a woman among them, they entered the houses and conducted the searches in a good way,” said Mohammad Rafi, a resident of Kabul.
Residents of the capital earlier complained about the house-to-house searching by the Islamic Emirate. Mujahid said that two girls who were chained up at a residence in Kabul were found during the operation. He said that an investigation is underway to find information about the situation.”
Pajhwok Afghan News, Kabulis express different views about search operation, 27 February 2022
“KABUL (Pajhwok): Residents of capital Kabul on Sunday said the ongoing search operation was a good step towards maintaining security and that they were satisfied with the behavior of security forces, while some others were unsatisfied and said only suspected houses should be checked.Sunday was the third day of a search operation in some areas of Kabul and some other nearby provinces of the country.
A spokesman for the Islamic Emirate, ZabihullahMujahid, said the operation was aimed at capturing and eliminating “all kinds of thieves, kidnappers, evil elements and other criminals” who have previously been identified and chased.
Pajhwok Afghan News spoke to people whose homes had been searched in different parts of Kabul. People say some houses were searched superficially, but others searched thoroughly.
Azizullah, a resident of NawiKhwajaBaghra area of Kabul’s 15th police district, said that female police officers accompanied security forces during the operation and local representatives were coordinated and present in the area.However, he said that his house was searched last Friday but there were no policewomen with the security forces during the operation.”
Khaama Press, Taliban launches vast clean-up operation in Kabul, neighboring provinces, 26 February 2022
“Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has launched its first-ever vast clean-up operations in the Afghan capital Kabul and its neighboring provinces aimed at tracing kidnappers, thieves, and offenders. The Taliban affiliates are entering homes and searching the homes for weapons, cars, and any property belonging to the government.
Spokesperson of the Kabul police-Taliban security forces- Habib Zadran said that the ongoing clean-up operations were launched at the behest of the residents of Kabul not against them.Habib Zadran said the operations are aimed at tracing criminals, kidnappers and at reducing the level of crimes and offenses in the city.
“No one is exempt from the operations, the operations have no exceptions and even my home was searched. The operations are not restricted to any ethnic group or specific area.” Khalid Zadran said.
The spokesperson confirmed the achievement they had during the operations but did not unveil the exact amount of confiscation as the operation is not ended yet.In the meantime, Khalid Zadran said that they are accompanied by female police members and carry out the operations together.
Earlier, the IEA in a statement announced that the clean-up operations are aimed at securing the lives of residents so the people are asked to be fully cooperative with the Taliban forces.”
AVA Press, A Goldsmith Abducted in Takhar, 14 February 2022
“Afghan Voice Agency (AVA)_Unidentified gunmen a goldsmith from the provincial capital of Taleqan, according to local sources. The sources told Hasht-e Subh that the jeweler is named and is a resident of district, who currently lives in the province.According to the sources, the incident took place in the center of . So far, local officials have not yet provided detailsMeanwhile, the residents of have already complained about the increase of theft, kidnapping, and targeted murders in this province.”
“Notwithstanding further efforts by the Government up to August 2021, illtreatment and torture continued to be prevalent, to different degrees in various institutions, with lack of respect for procedural safeguards being widespread. Lack of training on interviewing methods, and a focus on obtaining confessions from suspects, remained a serious issue. Overcrowding in the penitentiary system continued to be of concern, in particular since the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Reuters, U.S. Faces Snags in Bid to Speed Up At-Risk Afghan Evacuations, 4 February 2022
“Human rights organizations and the United Nations say the Taliban has stepped up detentions, abductions and killings. Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Sayed Khosti has rejected the accusation of reprisal killings, saying no evidence had been presented. "People left behind are getting more and more desperate and we're going to start seeing more of the consequences of that, whether mass movement of refugees or meeting grim fates in Afghanistan," said a second senior U.S. official.”
BBC, Meth and heroin fuel Afghanistan drugs boom, 12 December 2021
“Drugs are big business in Afghanistan, and under the Taliban, trade is booming. The country has long been linked with heroin, but in recent years, it has also emerged as a significant producer of crystal meth - another dangerously addictive drug. One source involved in the trade says that about 3,000kg of crystal meth are now manufactured every day by more than 500 makeshift "factories" in a single remote drug-producing district in the south-west of the country.”
AVA Press, Kunduz Residents Complain of Assassinations and Kidnappings Amid Rising Poverty, 5 December 2021
“After the Taliban took control of the country, crime in [sic] has increased. In recent days, this issue has raised concern to businessmen and residents of the province. In the last few weeks, kidnappers have abducted a doctor and a former member of national security, according to local sources. Sources say that about a week ago, the body of a former national security officer was found in the district of the province, but the fate of the is still unknown. Some residents of Kunduz told Hasht-e Subh that unknown individuals had robbed several shops and killed several people recently. They state that they are worried about their lives and property. According to the residents, unknown individuals were robbing and kidnapping in broad daylight, but Taliban officials did nothing to prevent the incidents. They call on the authorities of the Taliban-led government to stop the kidnappings and targeted killings in the province and arrest the perpetrators.
[...] Armed robberies and kidnappings in Kunduz have prompted some businessmen and social figures to leave Kunduz for Kabul and neighboring Afghanistan. A civil activist in Kunduz province, who did not want to be named, said he had been threatened with death several times by unknown individuals and now had to leave the province with his family. According to this civil activist, if the situation continues like this, life will be difficult for all sections of the province and eventually, all the people will leave the province.
Meanwhile, Taliban intelligence and culture chief Matiullah emphasized their efforts to prevent kidnappings in the province. According to Rouhani, Taliban forces recently arrested two militants from the provincial capital.
With the Taliban taking control of the country, hopes were that crime would fall to a record low, yet, contrary to expectation, crime was on the rise in some provinces. Increasing poverty and unemployment in the country have been cited as the main reasons for the increase in criminal offenses.”
TOLO News, Kabul Residents Urge Govt to Tackle Crime, 26 November 2021
“Residents of Kabul expressed concerns over the surge in criminal activity in various parts of the city and urged the government to take the necessary steps to counter the criminal issues. The insecurity is on a high-level all over Kabul. I live in Darul Aman and I can’t leave home after 6:00pm because of insecurity,” said Mohammad Ameen, a resident.”
Arab News, Prominent Afghan doctor kidnapped, killed in northern city, 20 November 2021
“A prominent doctor was kidnapped and killed in northern Afghanistan, his family said Saturday [20 November]. Mohamed Nader Alemi was abducted two months ago in the city of Mazar-i-Sharif, and his kidnappers demanded a ransom for his release, his son Roheen Alemi said. The family eventually paid them $350,000, after negotiating down their initial demand of more than twice that, he said. Despite the payment, the kidnappers then killed Alemi, leaving his body in the street, his son said. They called the family and told them where to find it on Friday, he said.“My father was badly tortured, there are signs of harm on his body,” Roheen Alemi said. Alemi, a psychiatrist, worked for the government’s provincial hospital in Mazar-i-Sharif. He also owned a private clinic, said to be the city’s first private psychiatric clinic.
Under the previous, US-backed government, crime swelled, including frequent kidnappings for ransom, which prompted several businessmen to flee Afghanistan. The abductions have continued since the Taliban seized power on Aug. 15, though with lower frequency.
The Taliban Interior Ministry spokesman, Saeed Khosty, said Taliban forces arrested eight suspected kidnappers who were behind the abductions of three people, including Alemi, in Balkh Province, where Mazar-i-Sharif is located. He said two of those abducted were rescued but that Alemi was killed before the rescue. Police were searching for two associates of the eight arrested men who were believed to have killed the doctor.”
The Guardian, Abducted Afghan psychiatrist found dead weeks after disappearance, 19 November 2021
“One of Afghanistan’s most prominent psychiatrists, who was abducted by armed men in September, has been found dead, his family has confirmed.Dr Nader Alemi’s daughter, Manizheh Abreen, said that her father had been tortured before he died.
[...] He had received threatening calls and messages in the months before his abduction. The kidnappers originally demanded a ransom of $800,000 (£600,000).”
AVA Press, A Doctor Kidnapped in Kunduz Province, 17 November 2021
“Afghan Voice Agency (AVA)_ Sources in Kunduz city say that Dr. Hoshang Rastaqi, a dermatologist, was abducted last night (Tuesday) from the center of Kunduz. The armed kidnappers abducted him from his home. According to the source, a weapon of the is left in the doctor’s home. Taliban officials haven’t said anything about the incident to the media yet. Meanwhile, the residents of had earlier complained about the increase of and theft cases in this province.”
QANTARA, Can the Taliban avert a food crisis without foreign aid?, 15 November 2021
“Those with money are at risk The security situation in Afghanistan under the Taliban has deteriorated along with the economy. There are ever more reports of kidnapping and hostage-taking of businessmen and others with money. Kabul-based economic expert Khanjan Alokozay revealed that in the last two months, more than 40 shopkeepers and businessmen have been kidnapped in different parts of the country, and that some of them had also been killed.”
Foreign Policy, Afghan Crime Wave Adds to Taliban Dystopia, 29 October 2021
“Kabul residents said gangs roam the streets, stopping, searching, and robbing people at random. They say armed men routinely stop cars and rob the occupants. [...]
Officials of the former government, intelligence service, and military have been snatched from their homes after applying for passports and providing biometric and other identification information, he said.
The Taliban are also using lists of former officials and civil activists to pinpoint their children. “They took four such sons from a prominent school in Kabul. When the police station was asked, they said, ‘We don’t know who entered the school,’” the source said. “Life is broken.”
Another Kabul resident said the father of an associate was kidnapped and a ransom of $3 million demanded for his release. “But no one has that sort of money; they couldn’t pay, and he was killed,” he said. Cars are being stolen almost daily from homes in previously safe neighborhoods, he added.
Local media have reported more than 40 kidnappings of businessmen in the two months since the Taliban took control. Other sources have said the number is much higher, though the lack of a functioning bureaucracy means there are paltry official statistics. The bulk of the kidnappings occured in Kabul, Kandahar, Nangarhar, Kunduz, Herat, and Balk provinces, the deputy head of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries told TOLO News.”