30,000 Pakistani Youths Fought For Taliban, Alleges Pak Political Leader

The families of these detainees have not been allowed to visit them for weeks.

According to local sources, several operatives of the Taliban’s intelligence department, masquerading as mining contractors, have attempted to coerce locals into denouncing the Taliban's oppressive measures.

When some residents voiced complaints about discriminatory practices by the Taliban and expressed sympathy towards resistance movements, they were reportedly recorded by Taliban spies.

Following these events, Taliban forces conducted raids in three villages within the Balkhab district, resulting in the detention of 14 civilians. The Taliban have also demanded that these families surrender weapons allegedly left behind by Mawlawi Mehdi Mujahid, a former commander who had parted ways with the Taliban. Mujahid was reported to have been killed by the Taliban after internal conflicts.

The residents of Balkhab district assert that they do not possess weapons and lack the financial resources to acquire them. Some reports indicate that the Taliban are forcing locals to pay cash instead of surrendering weapons.

In the wake of Mawlawi Mehdi Mujahid’s death, numerous reports have surfaced about widespread human rights abuses in the area. Last year, the Afghanistan Human Rights Commission accused Taliban forces of executing civilians in Balkhab, Sar-e-Pul.

Furthermore, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) in Kabul announced that it was actively investigating these reports of severe human rights violations in the region.

AGT, led by Amrullah Saleh, stated that the police force numbers have surged to 22,500 in Kandahar and 16,000 in Helmand.

This augmentation includes special units designated for the protection of Hibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban's leader, alongside his personal specialised units.

According to AGT, this extensive deployment may be motivated by Akhundzada's concerns over his security. Kandahar, being the residence of Akhundzada, serves as the Taliban's power stronghold.

The report further highlights that a significant portion of Afghanistan's budget, approximately seventy percent, is allocated to the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Interior, the Taliban's intelligence services, and Akhundzada’s office.

The Ministry of Interior alone, as reported by AGT, has an annual budget of 78 billion Afghanis, making up 31% of the Taliban's total budget. Notably, nearly 20% of this budget is specifically expended in Helmand and Kandahar, surpassing the combined spending of five central provinces.

Additionally, the report notes that of 220,000 staff in the Ministry of Interior, half are officers. AGT emphasised that in this ministry, there is a one-to-one ratio of officers to policemen.

Under the leadership of Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Ministry of Interior has been instrumental in creating employment opportunities for Taliban militias by appointing them as officers, thus securing their financial and occupational status.

Iranian media reported Vahidi as saying that the country is currently not accepting new migrants and all "unauthorised" nationals must vacate Iran.

The Iranian government refers to Afghan refugees as "nationals". Vahidi emphasised on the need for legal reforms to prevent the entry of unauthorised nationals.

Asghar Bolukian, the Director-General of Foreign Nationals and Migration Affairs at Iran's National Migration Organisation, recently stated that Iran no longer has the capacity to accommodate Afghan migrants. Bolukian urged the Taliban to create secure and viable conditions for the return of Afghan migrants to their homeland. He also described Afghanistan as a "ruined and technologically backward" country, according to the IRIB news agency.

Since the Taliban's rise to power in August 2021, a significant number of Afghans have sought refuge in countries like Iran. Nonetheless, the Islamic Republic continues to detain and repatriate thousands of Afghan migrants back to Afghanistan each week.

This session, titled "Enhancing Unity and Solidarity through Dialogue for Sustainable Development," commenced on Wednesday in Banjul, the Gambian capital, attended by heads of states and foreign ministers.

The Secretary-General of the OIC stated on Thursday that the organisation continues its humanitarian engagement and constructive dialogue with the current Afghan authorities. He urged member countries to persist in their humanitarian efforts for Afghanistan through the Humanitarian Trust Fund, managed by the Islamic Development Bank.

Representing the Taliban were the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the head of international organisations within the ministry, confirming their participation was at the official invitation of the OIC.

This two-day session also featured discussions on various regional issues, including the situation in Gaza, the recognition of the Palestinian state, and conflicts in Yemen, Libya, and Sudan.

According to Afghanistan International sources, during this confrontation, Mullah Aziz and his family were detained, and four of his associates were injured.

The clash reportedly started on Friday following tensions between Pashtun and Tajik Taliban commanders over Mullah Aziz's attempt to construct a house in the Burka district. The confrontation escalated when Taliban forces halted the house's construction.

Mullah Aziz, also known as Haji Tariq, who serves as the Taliban security operations commander in Baghlan, was among those detained. Sources indicated that four individuals linked to Mullah Aziz were injured during the clash. Visual evidence from the scene shows gunfire.

An audio file obtained from Mullah Aziz criticised the treatment of Tajik Taliban members in Baghlan. In this audio, the local Taliban commander expressed, "The injustice currently happening in Baghlan did not exist during the United States' presence in Afghanistan." He highlighted that Taliban forces attacked his home, injuring two people, including his son, and accused Taliban officials of waging a jihad against Tajik mujahideen.

Sources within the Taliban disclosed that while some family members were released on Saturday, Mullah Aziz and five of his associates remain in detention.