Former Afghan Police Officer Found Dead Two Weeks After Taliban Detention in Paktia

Initial media reports suggested that Tahira committed "suicide" after being released from prison. However, a reliable source from Bamiyan could not confirm the manner of her death. Forensic investigations have not been conducted, leaving it unclear whether she died during detention or afterwards.

Sources indicated that without a thorough investigation, it is impossible to determine the exact cause of death or identify any potential perpetrators. The security situation and the connection to her arrest by the Taliban complicate the verification of the suicide claim.

Tahira, a 19-year-old resident of Tagab Barg village in the Panjab district, was arrested by the Taliban on Saturday, 13 July, in the centre of Panjab district. The Taliban have yet to provide an explanation for her arrest.

A document containing Tahira's statements at the time of her arrest has been circulated in local media. According to this document, around 5:26 PM, she was heading home from a tailoring shop in the central market of Panjab when a Taliban member ordered her into a vehicle. Initially, she ignored the order, but after repeated commands and fearing for her safety, she complied.

Reports indicate that Tahira was severely harassed by Taliban members during her arbitrary detention. She was held in a Taliban prison for several days and was released after interventions by local elders and residents. It was after her release that she reportedly committed suicide.

The Taliban officials have not officially commented on the matter. Images of Tahira's body, shared on social media, have garnered widespread attention.

The Taliban have previously arbitrarily detained numerous girls, predominantly Shia Muslims, in various cities. Last December, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) reported that the Taliban arbitrarily detain girls for not adhering to the group's interpretation of "Hijab." UNAMA warned that such actions, including physical violence against Afghan girls and women, are "humiliating and dangerous."

The organisation called on the public to protect water resources in Afghanistan.

On Saturday, 27 July, the European Union Delegation for Afghanistan wrote in a note on the X social media platform: "Let's protect our rivers, lakes, and groundwater for future generations. Together, we can build a water-secure Afghanistan."

The United Nations had previously expressed concern over the expanding water crisis in Afghanistan, stating that about 80% of the country's population does not have adequate access to drinking water.

According to a report published by the United Nations Development Programme in late 2023, Afghanistan ranked sixth among countries most vulnerable to climate change last year.

The United Nations stated that $479 million is needed to address the water and sanitation crisis in Afghanistan.

The International Committee of the Red Cross also previously reported that access to drinking water is becoming increasingly difficult for the people of Afghanistan, putting millions of lives at risk.

They described the Taliban government as illegitimate and a "government of oppression," asserting that resistance against the group is "permissible and necessary."

These Shia activists made their statements on Saturday, 27 July, at a conference titled "Gathering of Afghan Shia Elites" in Frankfurt. They noted that restrictions on the Shia community have increased over time.

In their first meeting in Frankfurt last May, Shia activists also emphasised the need for "firm resistance" against the Taliban.

Participants in the second Frankfurt meeting issued a statement denouncing restrictions on women as "gender apartheid" and called for the recognition of Afghan women's human rights.

The Shia community leaders criticised a group claiming to represent Shias in dealings with the Taliban, arguing that in the absence of a logical mechanism, no self-appointed representative can negotiate with the Taliban or anyone else on behalf of the Shias regarding their rights.

They stressed the need to develop a comprehensive roadmap to overcome the current situation and called for the mobilisation of all resources.

Shia figures residing in Europe urged the international community and the United Nations to minimise engagement with the Taliban and refrain from recognising the group.

The Shia elites stated that unilateral engagement with the Taliban exacerbates the humanitarian crisis and promotes terrorism in Afghanistan and the region.

Local people said that these individuals were detained on charges of having images of the national flag of Afghanistan and pictures of former presidents on their phones.

So far, the Taliban's Ministry of the Propagation of Virtue has not provided an explanation in this regard.

Residents of Bak Khel district said that Taliban ombudsmen are inspecting people's phones in various parts of the province. If they find images or content contrary to the group's preferences, they arrest the people.

The residents said that on Friday, the Taliban arrested eight individuals from the district for having images of the national flag of Afghanistan on their mobile phones. According to sources, these youths also had images of former presidents Ashraf Ghani, Hamid Karzai, and Daoud Khan on their phones.

Meanwhile, some local elders in Bak Khel district said that for several months, Taliban local officials in the province have been inspecting phones and harassing young people.

One local leader described the Taliban's phone inspections as a violation of people's privacy, stating, "The Taliban not only conduct body searches in Bak Khel district, but also in many other areas and the province capital."

The Taliban's Ministry of Refugees reported that over 10,000 Afghan migrants were expelled from Iran during this period.

The ministry noted that there are children and women among those who returned to Afghanistan.

The statements from the ministry indicate that Afghan migrants were returned through the Torkham, Spin Boldak, Pul-e-Abrisham, and Islam Qala border crossings.

The governments of Iran and Pakistan have recently intensified the deportation of undocumented Afghan migrants. According to statistics from the Taliban's Ministry of Refugees, over a thousand Afghans are deported daily from these two countries.

Many of the deported migrants have complained about the treatment they received from police officials during their expulsion. They reported that police in Iran and Pakistan mistreated them after their arrest.

Meanwhile, officials in Pakistan and Iran consistently state that they are handling Afghan migrants in accordance with international laws and consider the deportation of undocumented Afghans to be their legal right.