Taliban Members 'Detain' Three Ex-Servicemen in Laghman
Local sources in Laghman told Afghanistan International that Taliban members have arrested three former government soldiers over the past few days.
Local sources in Laghman told Afghanistan International that Taliban members have arrested three former government soldiers over the past few days.
Mohammad Iqbal, Makhan and Hekmatullah have been arrested on charges of having links to opposition groups and possessing weapons from the former government.
According to these sources, Taliban members have arrested Mohammad Iqbal, a former local policeman in Dawlat Shah district of the province, in recent days. According to these sources, Mohammad Iqbal was the commander of the local police personnel of the district in the previous regime.
Hekmatullah, a former army soldier, is a resident of Alishang district, and Makhan a former policeman, and a resident of Shadmir village in Dawlat Shah district.
Relatives of some of the detainees said that Taliban officials do not give them access to a lawyer and do not provide information about the reasons behind their detention.
Human rights organisations have expressed concern over the Taliban's continued detention of former military personnel in Afghanistan.
Sources told Afghanistan International that 231 former soldiers and military and intelligence employees are imprisoned in Nangarhar prisons, but they have not yet been presented to the Taliban's courts.
Although Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada has announced a general amnesty after taking control of Afghanistan, there are frequent reports of arrests, torture, and killings of former military personnel.
According to the latest UNAMA report released on Thursday, November 1, at least five former military personnel have been killed and at least 10 cases of torture and ill-treatment have been recorded against them.
The report shows that between July 2 and October 31, 2024, at least 24 cases of arbitrary arrests and detentions of former military personnel have been documented.
The Taliban has consistently denied arresting and taking revenge on former security forces.
