Russia Considering Removal of Taliban From Terrorist Organisation List

In a statement posted on X social media platform on Monday, the NRF reported that the attack occurred at 8:30pm in the ninth police district of Kabul city.

The Front accused Taliban members stationed at the checkpoint of consistent harassment and intimidation of local residents and passersby along the route.

Over the past few weeks, the NRF has consistently reported carrying out attacks on Taliban checkpoints and bases not only in Kabul, but also in several other provinces.

Despite these reports, the Taliban has not reacted to the claims made by the NRF.

These sources, on condition of anonymity, said that the girl "has been returned home," and investigations into the perpetrators of her abduction are ongoing.

On March 28, sources from Ghor province informed Afghanistan International that local Taliban officials forcibly took a 17-year-old girl from her home in Pasaband district and compelled her into a forced marriage with one of their members.

At least four separate sources from Ghor province confirmed that local Taliban officials in Noorak village of Pasaband district forcefully abducted a girl.

Sources sent a video to Afghanistan International and claimed that Khairullah Khairkhwa, the Pasaband district governor; Abdul Hamid Khalid, the police commander; Mohammad Moshfiq, the deputy intelligence officer, and Tohidi, the Taliban’s intelligence officer in Pasaband district, raided the house of this girl.

In the video sent by witnesses, a group of armed individuals can be seen taking a girl with them.

Sources allege that local Taliban officials forcibly married this young girl to an individual named Shah Wali, who is a member of the Taliban.

Following this report, Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban spokesperson, confirmed that local Taliban officials intervened in a dispute between two families in the Pasaband district.

Mujahid stated that the incident was a dispute between two families over a bride's dowry.

According to the statement, one person received 39 lashes, and two others received 30 lashes each.

In addition to public flogging, one of them was sentenced to three and a half years in prison, and the other two were each sentenced to one year and one month of imprisonment.

In a statement on Sunday, the Taliban's Supreme Court stated that the lower court in Dawlat Abad had sentenced three individuals on charges of "sexual relations outside of marriage" and "escaping from home" during the month of Ramadan.

The Taliban did not provide any explanation about the identities of these individuals.

According to the statement from the Taliban's Supreme Court, the defendants were publicly flogged in the presence of Taliban’s judicial and military officials in Faryab province, along with a large crowd of people.

Since the Taliban took control in Afghanistan, they have carried out physical punishments such as flogging, amputation, and execution, citing the enforcement of Islamic Sharia law.

Recently, Radio Television Afghanistan, under Taliban control, aired a message attributed to Hibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban leader, emphasising on the implementation of Sharia law and physical punishments, including stoning of women.

However, human rights organisations and the international community have consistently urged the Taliban to cease the public punishment of Afghan citizens through flogging, amputation, and execution.

According to the statement, the flogging sentence was issued by the lower court in Khost province, with Taliban officials present during its execution.

Human rights organisations and the international community have consistently urged the Taliban to halt the cruel and inhumane punishments of the accused.

However, the Taliban responded that they are implementing Islamic Sharia law and that countries and international organisations should not interfere in Afghanistan's internal affairs.

He said, "The Quran, the Hadiths of the Prophet, and Hanafi jurisprudence form the basis of our constitution."

In response to concerns about the lack of legislation in the Taliban governance, Sharei noted that following the group's takeover of power, directives from the Taliban leader and various laws were published in five official journals of the ministry of justice.

These statements have triggered objections from a new critic of the Taliban, who has consistently challenged statements made by Taliban officials and spokespersons in recent weeks. Habiburrahman Hekmatyar, the son of Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, has been involved in virtual disputes with Taliban officials following his father's expulsion from his residence by the Taliban’s Justice Minister.

On Monday, Hibiburrahman wrote on X social media platform that the Taliban government lacks a constitution and referred to Sharei’s contradictory statements on this issue.

He pointed out that the Taliban’s Justice Minister had previously indicated intentions to implement the constitution of former king of Afghanistan, Mohammad Zahir Shah, while also stating that work is underway on a new constitution. Hekmatyar's son argued that Sharei's remarks regarding the Quran and tradition suggest a lack of the existence of the Taliban’s constitution.

Furthermore, Hekmatyar criticised the behaviour of the Taliban, saying that such actions mock Islam and push the youth towards "secularism”.

He challenged Sharei’s remarks by questioning if the Quran serves as the Taliban's constitution, then he must clarify, "Where has it been stated that the minister should have three deputies, Kabul should be the capital, and you should be the minister?"

In the early days of the Taliban's rule in 2021, the Taliban's Justice Minister had declared that the group would temporarily implement the constitution of Mohammad Zahir Shah's era, except for provisions conflicting with Sharia law.

Subsequently, last year, the Taliban's deputy prime minister for political affairs announced that, under the directive of Hibatullah Akhundzada, the group's leader, efforts were underway to draft a new constitution. However, despite two and a half years having passed under Taliban rule, the desired constitution is yet to be formulated.